Fields of Thyme
by WizardsGirl
Summary: Immortality doesn't sit well with Harry. So, when given the choice to move on to a new world for a "Traveling Holiday" he's quick to take it up. Of course, Chaos has to have a say in it. Fem!Alicorn!Harry BECAUSE I CAN. Not sure exactly where this is going, but I'm having fun writing it so Nyah. Rated T just in case, Feel free to Q&A me! LONG CHAPTERS WHOOOT! XD Enjoy
1. Prologue

**A/N:** I just decided to play with this

DON'T JUDGE ME

I OWN NOTHING BUT MY CREATIVITY SO NNNNYAH!

**Fields of Thyme**

_**Prologue**_

Harry Potter was tired.

He was tired of the Wizarding World and its fickle nature.

Tired of the demands he do this or that or marry him or her.

Tired of watching all those around him grow old while he stayed young, of watching them marry and have children or get good jobs, while he remained stagnant, unable to settle with anyone in fear of manipulation or out-living both them and whatever children they had.

Tired of being alone, but for the shadowy figure that constantly stalked his steps, like a particularly smug cat.

_"Come now, Dearest,"_ said figure whispered in the cold winter air (it was always strongest in winter and fall, when the world around them was dying, weakest in spring and summer when new life rose and came into being). _"Thou dost not think so little of this one, dost thou? Truly?"_ Silk-soft fingers trailed lightly across his sharp cheekbone, leaving a numbness that had nothing to do with the cold, the cells and flesh blackening briefly as it died, before the blackness faded and his skin was once more icy pale with the barest tinge of pink from the cold wind. Harry hunched his shoulders and continued to walk through the Muggle Park, moving towards the small pond and his favorite bench.

"Leave me be, Marwolaeth," he murmured, the Welsh word falling softly off his tongue; the shadow chuckled, the sound a mixture of rattling bones and the fall of grave dirt onto a coffin.

_"If only it were so simply, Dearest,"_ she murmured to him under the skittering sound of dead leaves blown across the sidewalk. Harry bit back a sigh, and gingerly sat himself down on the bench, ignoring the sharp, cold feeling of the chilled metal. The spectre stood behind him, arms settling around his chest, head nestling onto his shoulder as the thin wispy shadows of hair trailed opposite of the wind, caressing his face and leaving numbness behind, her barely-there presence making his heart falter, his lungs grasp desperately for air, even as he closed his eyes and gave a tired sigh.

"What do you want, then?" He asked wearily, opening his eyes halfway. From the very edge of his vision, he could barely make out her bone-white, skeletal face, the pale strands of her hair, like spider webs spun from bits of ice, flowed towards him as he blank, black sockets, filled deeply with the cries and whispers of the dead, were locked on his face, a gruesome smile stretching across her face and exposing her blackened, piranha-like teeth.

_"This one dost only wish to please thee, Dearest,"_ she whispered, mouth unmoving, the briefest whiff of rot and freshly-turned earth sliding through the air.

"And what do you think would please me now, Marwolaeth? It better not be another undying harem made up of the souls of warrior women and men, again," he added, narrowing his eyes as he stared forward, watching the morbid grin on the spectre's face widen inhumanely, giving her the appearance of a skull. "I've told you before, carnal delights aren't to my fancy."

_"Nay, 'tis not a harem, Dearest,"_ she replied, the edge of amusement falling softly on his ears, like an unending slumber at the end of ones life. _"But this one hast decided that Dearest could do with a traveling holiday, and this one knows of many lands in which Dearest may settle for a life, in many different worlds and realms."_ Harry blinked, and resisted the urge to look at the spectre, knowing that doing so would cause an unholy amount of agony in his head, and stop his heart for fifteen minutes, before it painfully restarted like the most atrocious of heartburns to ever exist.

"A holiday," he murmured quietly to himself, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. "In a different world...?" The spectre nodded, neck cracking like a broken bone and shattering glass.

_"Indeed, Dearest," _she whispered seductively against his mind, like maggots digging into a rotting corpse and the cocoon of eternal blackness coiling about him. _"Many worlds with many Magic's and creatures. Worlds of peace and war, plenty and famine. Worlds and worlds, Dearest. All of them fit for the taking,"_ she hissed, a snake sliding over stone, the last breath of air pulled from the dying's lips. _"If thou dost wish it so, of course. This one would never seek to undermine Dearest's authority," _she murmured placatingly, the sound of silk sliding in a coffin, clothe rustling, thunder in the distance. Harry hummed once, to acknowledge her statement, no more, no less.

"How would this 'holiday' happen?" Harry asked after several minutes of contemplation, ignoring the grin that all but cut the spectre's face in two.

_"This one would simply take Dearest into the Void, where thou could choose which world thou dost wish to visit. Then, this one would get into contact with this one's elder sister and younger cousin, whom represent the power of Life and Destiny, and thou would be integrated into that world."_

"Hmm," Harry replied absently, closing his eyes as he concentrated. A new world, one he could choose, one he could set _stipulations_ for. One where he wasn't The Boy-Who-Lived, the Vanquisher of Voldemort, or the Immortal Savior as he was here.

One where he could be _Just Harry_…

"Very well," Harry said, finally, leaning his head back and looking up at the sky with a small smile on his thin face. "Let's get started, hmm?" Marwolaeth gave a pleased sound that echoed like the silence of a newly emptied house, and, in a swirl of blackness, the two disappeared, into the Void, where only the gods traveled… And now Harry.

There was no physicality in the Void, only Awareness. Like a thought floating in space, there was nothing tangible, and, for the first few discombobulating minutes, Harry couldn't tell up from down, depth, _anything_, until Marwolaeth's numbing presence anchored him, surrounding his absolutely miniscule presence in her vast awareness, showing him, once and for all, that, though he was Master of Death, she was no slave, and, if it no longer amused her, she could crush him into nothingness and destroy him past death, forbidding him from the Afterlife.

It both terrified and humbled him, and he knew that, here in the Void, she could see that, because, seconds after the realization, her massive, suffocating power gentled, cradled instead of strangled, and became more affectionate than anything.

"_What sort of world does Dearest wish to visit, hmm?"_ she whispered around him, and he began to consider.

"One with magic," he told her, or, well, _thought_ at her, really, as no body meant no mouth or vocal cords to speak with. Immediately, tiny lights, like stars in the blackness of the Void, began to gently light up. _Worlds_, he thought in awe and no small part of unease. _Thousands of millions of worlds_.

"_Thou whilst need to be more specific, Dearest,"_ Marwolaeth murmured._ "This one require specifics, else Dearest will have too many worlds for his comprehension."_ Harry agreed, and began to name stipulations, watching the lights dwindle with each one.

Magic, intelligent beings, mostly peaceful, somewhere he can settle and have a family, somewhere his abnormally long life will be seen as normal. Somewhere he can fly and not be seen as a freak. Somewhere he could make friends, find love, settle down and be happy.

The worlds dwindled down as he continued, his stipulations becoming more random and less vague as he thought them up, until there were only six worlds left.

"_It is now up to thee, Dearest," _Marwolaeth declared quietly, pulling the worlds closer, until they formed six, silver mirrors, peering into the different worlds. Harry focused on them, and began to peer into their depths.

One world was full of dragons and people, working and fighting side-by-side. This world had magic, but it was only held by the dragons, able to speak and grow to sizes that boggled the mind. War was occasional, but bloody and long remembered.

Harry moved on.

The second world was full of people who played a sort of card game, battling monsters and spells and traps. Objects in it held great powers, and war was occasional, as it was in most Muggle worlds, Harry had noticed.

Harry moved on.

The third world was plain, but for the presence of magical beings that protected the world, led by the being that resided in the Moon, with a few enemies that these five beings defended against.

Harry moved on.

The fourth world had a bunch of people, good and bad, which had super powers. They clashed often, but not to war-levels.

Harry moved on.

The fifth world seemed to focus around a single family, all of them dark and gothic-looking, and their escapades. Apparently, the rest of the world had bright, happy people that made Harry think of Umbridge, only without the viciousness, and this family was the polar opposite, dark and vile and enjoying every second of it.

While one of the most interesting so far, Harry moved on.

The sixth and final world was seemingly seeped in magic, and no humans existed there. Instead, it was a world filled with magical beings, the main population made up of horses (_"Ponies,"_ Marwolaeth corrected in soft amusement), in all different colors and personalities. There were also various magical creatures, such as Griffons, Manticores, and others, though, again, ponies took up the largest number.

This world was fascinating to Harry. These ponies had built cities, towns, _castles_, had a government and laws, and yet, there was very rarely any war, and those wars were short and rather quaint compared to some of the things humans fought over. For the most part, however, this world seemed to care more for family and life and peace, than anything else.

It was very nearly perfect, in fact…

"This one," Harry decided, pushing the other five back as he stared into the world. "I like this one." It was the most interesting, the most fitting to his stipulations, and, honestly, the farthest thing from his own world as there was.

"_Very well, Dearest," _Marwolaeth murmured, sounding surprisingly please. _"Allow this one to gather this one's sibling and cousin, Dearest."_ Her presence pulled away, carefully, so as not to unbalance Harry's awareness, which was swiftly anchored to the World Mirror. _"This one shall return most quickly."_ Harry barely had time to acknowledge her words, before she was gone completely, leaving him floundering momentarily, before he swiftly latched everything he was onto the World Mirror, lest he drift away into the Void and become lost until she returned. As he waited, Harry watched the world he'd chosen, hungrily observing the differences, traditions, and everything that made the world what it was.

Time passed strangely in the Void. Seconds were hours were months were millennia's were milliseconds were days. Everything was warped, twisted; turned upside-down and inside-out. As he watched the World Mirror, centuries passed there, or days, or minutes, but all of it was interesting. When he leaned close enough, he could hear what was going on as well, and, as the strangeness of Void Time continued on, he longed to hear more, to _know_ more of what was happening here in his new world.

When Marwolaeth returned, bringing not two, but _four_ other massive Powers, Harry latched onto her familiar presence like a babe to it's mother, unspeakably relieved she had returned before he could go mad in the Void, hanging onto the World Mirror by his will alone.

"_This one did not purposefully leave thou in the Void unattended for so long, Dearest,"_ she murmured, coiling around him with affection. _"This one's sibling and cousin took time to locate, and this one's uncle and niece deemed themselves allowed to aid thee in this endeavor."_ Harry didn't really mind all that much, as long as he wasn't left floating in this bizarre emptiness and Void Time again.

"**So, thou wishes to place thyself into the World of Equestria, hmm?"** A smooth, gentle, woman's voice asked him, filled with the sound of bird-song and the laughter of children.

"Yes," Harry murmured in agreement, Awareness still curling into the cradling presence of Marwolaeth.

"_**This 'tis a most interesting endeavor indeed, dear niece,"**_ a male voice said, the edge of slyness curling through the air, giving away the feeling of raindrops falling, explosions in the distance, riptides in a current, and the growing of a seven-leaf-clover in a field.

"Indeed," another female voice agreed, the cheering of a crowd ringing in her voice, followed by the curses brought by a bad hand, the jingling of coins.

"Who…?" confusion colored his voice as he focused on Marwolaeth, searching for answers.

"_Dearest, allow this one to introduce Dearest to this one's relatives, hmm?"_ Harry felt the familiar presence pull back a ways, and another presence, this one warm like the sun and filled with _too much_ of _everything_. Every breath, every inch of growth, every beat of every heart, they surrounded him, drowned him, made him hurt and thrive and flinch and _ache_.

"**Rest, child,"** the voice gently commanded, pulling back a bit, cushioning him from her presence. **"This one forgets, at times, that thou mortals cannot settle within this one's Power. This one may be called Agapita, and this one holds the Power of Life, Sister of Marwolaeth, Power of Death." ** Gently, she relinquished her hold, and Harry was immediately swept away in a rolling cloud of disorganization and confusion, hot and cold and warm and wet and dry at the same time, upside-down and twisting while straight and upright, his senses swiftly overwhelmed. The presence backed up just enough that Harry no longer felt as if he was about to break apart and join the mess of it, before it spoke.

"_**This one is most pleased to make the acquaintance of one such as thee, Little Mess! This one is the Power of Chaos, uncle of Marwolaeth and Agapita. This one goes by many, many names, but thou may refer to this one as Filbert, for this one finds it most appealing."**_ The strange Power curled close and sucked him in again in what could only be described as a hug, before tossing Harry's presence into the cradle of one of the, as yet, unnamed presences, who caught him gently and gave the impression of cooing, which was the sound of a child's laughter and the clicking of ping-pong balls in a cage, with the faintest undertone of cheering and clapping.

"This one is pleased to meet the mortal that has gained so much of this one's favor in their life," she told him kindly. "This one is Gilda, Power of Luck, and wishes thee a happy life wityh little woe, though 'tis needed to make joy stronger." Harry was then, finally handed to the final Power, who did not overwhelm him with sensations and sounds and images, but rather, with the feeling of being judged, weighed, and the knowledge that a decision had been made, which made Harry unspeakable nervous.

"…_This one is Onésima, Power of Destiny, Controller of Fate,"_ she whispered, voice tired and soft with the weight of lives carrying on shoulders that slumped beneath the force but carried on besides. _"This one is not sorry for the Fate given to thee, Young One, for this one does not regret what is, what was, or what is to come. This one can only watch and settle and choose as this one is supposed to."_ With nothing more than that, the presence passed him back into the comfortingly numb presence of Marwolaeth, while the other Powers turned to the World Mirror and began to intermingle as they made decisions for this and that for him. Harry, exhausted, left them too it, and buried himself into the Awareness of Marwolaeth, who cradled him close and let him rest his overwhelmed Awareness in silence.

An unknown amount of time passed, before Marwolaeth gently jostled Harry into full attention, and settled him before the World Mirror so that all five Powers could see him.

"**These ones have decided on the proper place to put thee,"** Agapita announced calmly, and the Mirror flashed, splitting to show a group of eight different, smaller Mirrors, making Harry focus. **"First, thou must choose thine parents. The Mares these ones have decided are on the top. The Stallions, the bottom. Chose whichever you feel the most connected to, child."** And then, they sat back and waited, as Harry focused on the top four Mirrors, the Mares who could be his new mother.

The first was a unicorn with a gray coat and green mane, eyes a bright purple. One her left flank was a picture of a needle and some thread. She was a seamstress, apparently, named Knittin' Sue. She had two children already; twin foals, a colt and a filly, named Needle and Kindle. Both had a pale blue coat, but Needle had an orange mane, and Kindle had her mother's green mane, only it was much curlier. Neither had a mark. Their father, one Thimble Quick, had died only a week before they had been born, an accident with a collapsed roof while helping some neighbors after a nasty storm that got away from their weather crew.

The next Mare was a dark gold colored Earth Pony, with a white mane and ice-blue eyes, who had a silver harp on her flank with a blue musical note. Her name was Melody Song, a musician, and she had no children and little interest in them, as far as Harry could tell, finding her music much more interesting.

The third Mare was a deep green Pegasus, with a dark red mane that had bright turquoise highlights and streaks. Her eyes were a warm cobalt blue, and on her flank was the image of a burnt orange bowl with gray steam rising out of it and a yellow spoon lying next to it. Her name was Mint Leaf, a cook who traveled around, working in Soup Kitchens in the bigger cities, and helping out in restaurants in smaller towns. She had no children, but wanted some eventually. She also had two older brothers, named Basil and Parsnip, who were big name chef's in the city of Manehattan (and wasn't that funny, Harry mused, that they had all these similar names to cities and towns from his world, changed and given horse-like names…).

The final Mare was another Earth Pony, this one a copper-color with a dark gold mane, and gentle freckles on her face. The mark on her side was a full red apple and a green apple core. Her name was Applesauce, and her family was huge. She worked in making her namesake, living on an orchard with her Great Aunt and cousins. She wanted children very badly, but didn't want to settle with any of the Stallions she knew.

Harry considered all of these Mares, watched a bit of their lives, and considered each pro and con. After some deliberation, he pushed Knittin' Sew and Melody Song away, their personalities making the decision for him. Carefully, he considered Applesauce and Mint Leaf. After some deliberation, he pushed Applesauce gently away, and nudged Mint Leaf towards the waiting Powers.

"**Are you certain, child?"** Agapita asked, not like she doubted his choice, but just for the sake of asking. Harry hummed his satisfaction with his choice, and watched the other three Mares Mirrors turn to wisps and fall away. When they were gone, he turned his eyes on the Stallion Mirrors.

The first Stallion was a Pegasus named Blade Breeze, a member of the Royal Guard. His coat was white, his mane a dark blue with silver-blue highlights, and his eyes a bright honey-colored brown. His flank was marked with the picture of a sword and dagger crossing. He was a stern but fair pony, and the older brother to a Earth Pony colt named Blue Dancer, who was more interested in music and dancing then his studies. Blue Dancer was as blue as his brother's mane, with a yellow and orange streaked mane and bight purple eyes.

The second Stallion was a Zebra named Zendo, an Astrologist who read the stars much like a Centaur, able to see the paths one would come across. It wasn't seeing the future, but seeing what choices would come up. His black-and-white mane was in a half-Mohawk, with the top half neat and straight, before shortening and softening down his neck. He had his left ear pierced by a single gold ring, but, other than that, did not follow the tradition of his people, wearing rings of gold on his legs and neck. He did, however, fashion his tail hair, into long, even dreads made of all black or all white hair, but not mixing the two. His eyes were a bright, warm green, and his flank-mark was a bunch of lines and marks, like the rest of his kind. It looked almost like a gyroscope, honestly.

The third Stallion was a Unicorn, with dark brown fur and a pale blue mane. His eyes were orange, and he wore a fancy looking vest. His flank was marked with the image of a trumpet with two red notes floating around it. His name was Marco Forte, a private music teacher for the elite. He liked children, but, much like Snape, had little patience with them when it came to teaching his craft. His parents were both famous musicians, and his younger sister was a famous singer, but Marco wasn't much for the spotlight, preferring to make music that he enjoyed.

The final Stallion was a Earth Pony with a yellow coat and red mane, and dark blue eyes. His flank was marked with two orange horseshoes inter-locked, and he kept his red tail cropped short. His name was Sunny, and he was a very cheerful, mischievous Stallion, who liked kids mostly because he was like a grown-up one. He reminded Harry much like Sirius, without the grimness of Azkaban darkening his mind. Sunny had two younger sisters, both fully grown as well. A pale red Mare with soft yellow mane and gray eyes named Lissie, who had a purple flower on her rump and worked at a Foal Daycare, and a honey-colored Mare with red-and-brown-striped mane and dark green eyes named Tanny, who had a single red horseshoe on her flank, and who worked at the local Tea Shop as a waitress.

Harry took the four in, poking and observing and thinking heavily on his choices, before he pushed Sunny and Marco away, and, after a few more minutes, pushing Blade after them, nudging Zendo towards the Powers.

"_**An interesting choice, for sure, Little Mess,"**_ Filbert announced, sounding a little smug. _**"And the Stallion this one chose, as well! Excellent."**_

"_Their paths are crossing, their lives entwining,"_ Onésima announced in her quiet, serious way. _"Their lives will be long and fruitful, full of happiness and content. They are a good match."_ Harry felt pleased and relieved at that, and watched in the Mirror as his soon-to-be parents met, when Zendo followed the stars to a road where Mint Leaf had stopped to fix a piece on her traveling wagon. The Zebra offered assistance in exchange for a meal, and the two worked side-by-side, and ate with each other, smiling and laughter and contentedness coiling between them as their personalities clicked. Time in the Mirror moved forward quickly, to their first date, their first dance, and first kiss. Meeting Mint Leaf's family, then Zendo's. A year passed, before Zendo asked Mint Leaf to marry him, on the anniversary of they day they met, on the very same spot they first met. It was all very romantic and such, the wedding filled with family and close friends but no one else. The two of them settled into a small cottage a little ways away from a place called Ponyville, and, while Mint Leaf started working at a restaurant there, Zendo continued to study the skies and write out star maps. There, the picture faded, and the Powers turned their attention to Harry, who turned his to them as well.

"**What is done is done, child,"** Agapita said sternly. **"Thou art re-written, reborn. This world is now thine only world, though thou shalt keep thine memories of the world before, thou art no longer connected to it."**

"_The ties of thine past are cut,"_ Onésima murmured. _"New ties bind thee, not as strong nor as choking. Flourish, for thine destiny is gentle compared to that of the past."_ With that, the Power left, nothing more to say.

"This one is eager to see what thou shall do in this new world,"Gilda admitted, surrounding him briefly in a hug, before she, too, left. Filbert swamped him with power, the sound of cackling flooding his ears for a moment.

"_**This one dost hope that thine hunt of trouble dost continue, Little Mess,"**_ he declared gleefully. _**"Live up to this one's expectations, Little Mess. The worlds need more of this one in their existence!"**_ And, with a last swirl of cackling, gleeful Chaos, the Power sped away into the Void after his niece and daughter.

"_Is Dearest ready?"_ Marwolaeth asked curiously; Harry sighed as she curled affectionately around him, and pushed him towards the Mirror. With a silent hope that all would end up alright, he pressed his Awareness against the Mirror's surface and, after a brief flicker of resistance, fell through.

Light blinded him, before pain exploded, and he came undone before he could even scream, the body he abruptly found himself once more in possession of, breaking apart and transforming into something else. Before he could see what, unconsciousness surrounded him, and he knew no more.

He became aware again in fits and spurts, muffled sounds and surrounded by warmth. A deeper voice, occasionally. The vague sensation of flying. Moving in small, jerky movements when he grew uncomfortable.

Slowly, he became aware that the higher, female's voice was Mint Leaf's, his mother, and the deeper voice was Zendo, his father. Other voices flittered in and out, but those two were the most prominent. He was a baby, not even born yet, but close, he realized, when this epiphany finally occurred to him. He couldn't see much, mostly just dark reds and pinks, and an opaque sort of white occasionally.

Finally, though, something changed, and he found himself being pushed in the needed direction to get out. So, with that in mind, he pushed himself towards the exit, and soon entered his new world, crying out at the brightness and the cold and the sudden influx of sound and sight and smell. A strange pony decked out in a facemask, apron, and gloves, looked rather startled, before smiling at Harry warmly as said Doctor and another pony started cleaning him up.

"Congratulations!" The Doctor holding Harry announced warmly as he wrapped the immortal in a soft yellow blanket and handed him over to an exhausted but happy-looking Mint Leaf. "Your foal is a filly, and an Alicorn!" Harry didn't really remember at the moment what, exactly, and Alicorn was, but he could be excused at the moment, because all he could think of was the "girl" bit.

What.

In the back of his mind, he could hear the faint cackling of Filbert, and knew the Chaos Power had done this on purpose. Biting back an irritated sigh, Harry blinked hi-her, blinked _her_, eyes up at the wide-eyed visage of the Pegasus that was his mother.

Mint Leaf was actually rather pretty, with her cobalt eyes and dual-colored mane, and her forest green coat. Beside her, Zendo peered down at Harry, green eyes bright and affectionate.

"Our little filly be very strong, she will," he murmured in his strange, almost Jamaican accent. Mint Leaf sniffled and choked up a bit, smiling beatifically as she nuzzled Harry's nose gently with her own.

"Clover Breeze," she murmured affectionately, turning a sweet smile up to her Zebra husband. "Her name is Clover Breeze." Zendo smiled and leaned down to nuzzle his black snout against Harry's, now Clover's, own.

"Our little Clovah," he murmured, and kissed her forehead. "De stah's be bright tonight for you, sweet one," he whispered, and Clover found herself yawning heavily, and soon drifting to sleep, as Mint Leaf began to hum.

Five years passed, and Harry embraced his life as Clover fully, tossing his old life away as much as _she_ could. It helped that she didn't look much like she had thought she might. Her coat was a pale, soft green, broken up by black stripes that were similar to her "Papa's", though less in number. Her eyes took after his as well, only a brighter shade of green. Her mane and tail, she kept long like her "Mama's", the pure white mane broken by a few thin streaks of black, and fell straight on one side of her head, the slightly messy ends just reaching her knees. Her long tail was completely white but she tied it similarly to her Papa's people, a thick black band at the base and end, the hair between braided tightly.

Life was actually very interesting at her new house. She took school lessons from her Papa while her Mama was at work, played for a few hours before her Mama got home, then learned cooking and how to use her small, developing wings. Once a week, she stayed up late with Zendo and he taught her the stars, which had different names and constellation then she remembered from her world.

All together, though, it was a happy life, if a bit lonely, as Clover found herself spending more time with her Papa at home than going into Ponyville, but nice all the same.

When Mint Leaf fell pregnant again, Clover was stunned, but then cautiously happy. She'd never considered she would have a sibling in this world, so used to most of the families she grew up with, bar the Weasley's, having only one child for long years, if any more at all, so the idea she could have a little brother or sister was a foreign delight.

Months passed, and Clover made sure to pull her weight around the house as much as she could, cleaning and occasionally cooking when her Mama got particularly tired. Zendo helped her out as much as he could, but the Zebra wasn't very good in the kitchen when it came to cooking or cleaning, so Clover found herself chasing after her bemused father and giving him directions on this or that, and cleaning up after him when he accidentally messed something up.

The morning her brother was born, Clover cleaned the house, top to bottom, filled with nervous energy while her mother's brother, Basil, watched on in amusement. Her parents had left her at home as the hospital was no place for a foal, but that didn't stop Clover from worrying or being impatient, so she cleaned.

And cleaned.

And maybe cooked enough to feed all of Ponyville, while her Uncle laughed his hooves off before helping her package and store the food, setting a bunch aside in gift baskets to send to some of her mothers friends.

When Zendo and Mint Leaf came come with Zendo's mother, Zenna, and Mint Leaf's father, Brawn Paisley, it was to an absolutely spotless house, a thoroughly amused Basil, and a tired but still excited Clover, who scrambled quickly to her parents side and stood on her back legs to try and get a look at her sibling. Her mother laughed her warm, tinkling laugh and moved to settle on their couch, Clover lunging after her to bounce on the cushion beside her, trying to peer passed her mother's folded foreleg to see the little face partially hidden by an orange baby blanket.

"Clover," her mother began. "Meet your little brother, Zeb." With that, Mint Leaf shifted the bundle gently into Clovers hooves, making the bouncing filly freeze and carefully shift to hold the baby foal correctly, her look of concentrated serious unknowingly making all the adults smile or grin. Clover didn't care, however, because her wide, bright green eyes were focused on the small, sleeping face in her hooves.

Zeb looked just like their father in every way, colored just like any other Zebra. His mane had the same sort of stripes their mother's did, but were black and white, and already pinned back by a soft, black band, into an almost-topknot. Shifting the blanket carefully around with her mouth, Clover saw that he had no wings, and that his tail-hair was completely black, like hers was white. Carefully covering him back up, Clover placed her nose gently to his, eyes wide and staring, drinking in every detail. She watched as her brother slowly blinked his eyes open, eyes that were a darker shade of blue than their mothers, whether permanently or until the blue faded or darkened to another color, but still beautiful. He stared up at her in confusion, and Clover pressed her black muzzle to his in a gentle nuzzle.

"Hello, Zeb," she whispered softly to him. "I'm your big sister, and I'm gonna take care of you and love you forever and ever, okay? Okay," she murmured, meaning every word. And, even when he grew old and passed on, as he undoubtedly would, she would still continue to love him and care for him, her first sibling ever, no matter what. She carefully passed the newborn foal back to their mother, before a yawn overtook her. In a few minutes, she was dozing against her mother, until her grandfather came and picked her up, setting her on his back as the Pegasus chuckled and carried her to her room.

There, she slept, and dreamt of her old world and her new, and woke in the middle of the night with the knowledge that the new world was the here and now, and that she had well and truly abandoned her old world.

But, looking down into the face of her sleeping brother as she snuck into his room to peer into his crib, she wouldn't have it any other way, and curled up in the chair beside his crib, to sleep the rest of the night away peacefully.

**A/N:** And CUT! So, thoughts? Comments? Concerns?

Q&A will be held at the bottom of chapters, just so y'all know.

I just got sort of sucked into this, and I'm not even all that sorry, honestly (Shrugs). Don't even have a good idea of what all will happen or anything, but, yeah. Putting it out there.

ALSO, THIS ONE APOLOGIZE FOR ZENDO'S ACCENT! THIS ONE HEARD IT THAT WAY IN THIS ONE'S HEAD BUT TRYING TO WRITE JAMAICAN ACCENTS IS ACTUALLY A LOT HARDER THEN THIS ONE THOUGHT, PLZ DON'T KILL THIS ONE!

**NAMES:**

_Marwolaeth_ AKA Death: Names is Welsh for "Death", via Google Translate

**Agapita** AKA Life: Name is Greek for "she who is beloved and wanted" via my 100,000 Baby Names book

_**Filbert**_ AKA Chaos: Name is English for "brilliant" from my baby name book

Gilda AKA Luck: Name is English for "covered with gold" from my name book

_Onésima_ AKA Destiny/Fate: Name is Latin for "she who is burdened" from my book


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** And thus, the story continues.

Q&A at the bottom, feel free to review with any questions or concerns you have

Thanks for reading!

**Fields of Thyme**

_**Chapter One:**_

_New Friends, New Places_

Clover carefully carried the bowl of soup through the air, her horn glowing a dark green with magic as she concentrated on the spell. After a few minutes, she carefully set the bowl down on the bedside table, and glanced at her feverish mother, getting a weak smile from Mint Leaf as Zendo gently mopped her brow with a damp cloth.

"You're getting better at that spell, Clover," her mother said hoarsely, coughing into her hoof.

"Practice makes perfect, Mama," Clover said simply, smiling. "Now, you just rest and get better, okay? And, before you know it, you'll get over this nasty cold in no time." Mint Leaf smile, before a harsh cough had Clover taking a careful step back, and Zendo bracing her with a worried frown.

The sound of bells chiming rang through the house, signaling someone at the door.

"I'll get it!" Clover said hurriedly, and trotted towards it, absently wondering if Equestria had anything like the potions of her old world. Passing Zeb, who was playing with a set of blocks on the hallway floor, the pale green Alicorn opened the front door, blinking up at the older Mare in front of her.

"Oh my," the Mare said in surprise as she laid her turquoise eyes on Clover, who blinked back. The two spent a moment just taking the other in.

The Mare was a periwinkle blue Earth Pony, with dark orange hair curled up in a honeycomb 'do. A picture of freshly baked bread was her "cutie mark", the image on her left flank. She had a pretty yellow apron on, and a pearl necklace, with matching earrings.

"Oh my," the Mare repeated, and looked a little abashed. "I do apologize, youngin', but I was hoping that a Ms. Mint Leaf was home?" She had a southern belle sort of accent, and Clover blinked.

"That's my Mama," Clover informed the Mare cautiously. "She's real sick today, with a nasty cold, and Papa's making sure she get's a lot of rest."

"Oh my, oh my!" The Mare exclaimed, looking both concerned for Mint Leaf's health, and rather alarmed. "Oh, I do hope she get's better, youngin', but I do wish she had gotten sick on some other week! With the Summer Sun Celebration being just two days away, and held here in Ponyville, I just can't afford to be a pony short!" Clover watched as the older Mare worked herself into a tizzy, exclaiming "Oh my!" again and again.

"Clovah?" Zendo called, appearing in the doorway, and startling the Mare again. "Who be dis, den?"

"Papa, this is Mama's employer," Clover introduced quickly, hesitating. The Mare flushed a bit, realizing she hadn't introduced herself.

"Oh my, I am terribly sorry, how rude of me," she said, flustered, before smiling and offering her hoof to them. "I am Mrs. Juniper Rye, it is a pleasure." Clover's father smiled and shook the Mare's hoof.

"Ah be Zendo, Mint Leaf's 'usband, an' dis be Clovah Breeze, our oldest." Zeb peered around his legs, blue eyes wide and curious, as Clover shook the Mare's hoof. "Dis be Zeb, our youngest." He nudged the little colt forward, and Zeb ducked his head shyly, waving a hoof once before burying his muzzle in Clover's side, making her smile.

"Oh my, what a cute little colt," Mrs. Rye cooed, before shaking her head and offering a smile. "Well, it _is_ rather nice to meet you, though I am sorry that Ms. Leaf has taken ill, but now I must find some sort of replacement for her today! Oh my, oh my!" The Mare declared unhappily; Zendo blinked.

"You could be takin' Clovah wit' you, Mrs. Rye," he informed the Mare and smiling at Clover's wide-eyed look. "She be learnin' all 'er Mama's tricks in de kitchen, since ah 'ave two left hoofs in dat area." He chuckled and nudged Clover forward, making her wings flare slightly in alarm. Zeb whimpered and clung tightly, and Clover bumped him carefully back towards their father, with a reassuring smile.

"Oh my," Mrs. Rye said, and peered at Clover hopefully. "Can you make that delightful Sunflower Soup your Mama can, youngin'?" Clover nodded immediately.

"And a lot of the other ones, too, Mrs. Rye," she replied honestly. "Though I'm not as good with the Pumpkin Pudding Soup or the Strawberry Twister Soup like Mama is, but I can do a lot of the other's fairly well." Mrs. Rye looked relieved and delighted.

"Well, this is just, oh my, just fantastic!" The Mare exclaimed, before turning her eyes on Zendo. "Are you sure that you're alright, with me takin' Ms. Breeze for a few hours, until Ms. Leaf is better?" Zendo nodded, smiling.

"It be good for 'er, Mrs. Rye," the Zebra announced, nodding again, before stepping forward to press a kiss to Clover's forehead. "You go wit' 'er, Sweet One, an' 'ave some fun," he told her; Clover flashed him a grin and bumped her nose with his.

"Yes, Papa," she agreed, before running inside to say goodbye to her mother, while Zendo coaxed Zeb back inside. Clover made sure to tackle her little brother in a hug, making him giggle happily, before she turned to say another goodbye to her father.

"Take dees," he told her, offering her two gold rings, the perfect size to slip onto her hooves. "Dey be yours, anyway. Dis way, you be getting' dem early, is all." He winked, and Clover happily slid the Zebra jewelry onto her right foreleg, the gleaming metal standing out prettily against her pale green coat.

"See you later, Papa," she said, rising up on her back legs to wrap his neck in a hug and kiss his cheek. Quickly, she trotted out the door, giving one last wave behind her, before she fluttered her wings and flew easily beside the gently trotting Mrs. Rye, towards Ponyville for the first time. The entire way, Mrs. Rye blithely spoke of this and that, telling Clover all about her restaurant, where she served soups and sandwiches and desserts that go good with both, called Soup & Rye, after her late husband, Stew, and herself.

"We're not as popular with the youngin's as the Sugarcube Corner, but we get our fair share of customers from the older ponies." Clover nodded along, and stared with interest as Ponyville finally came into view.

There were lots of quaint cottages and shops, with a large building rising from the center. Clover quickly landed next to Mrs. Rye, and unabashedly hide a bit behind the periwinkle Mare, self-conscious, for the first time, of her stripes, horn, and wings.

"Oh my," Mrs. Rye murmured to herself, before sending the young filly, who was barely more than a foal, a kind smile. "Don't you worry, youngin'. There isn't a pony in town who would be mean to such a sweet thing like you, and, if they are, well, you just point me there way, you hear? And, oh my, oh my! I'll set them straight!" The Mare tossed her head in determination and Clover giggled softly, hesitantly moving out from behind her temporary boss as they reached the large dark blue restaurant.

"Mares! And Stallion," Mrs. Rye called, the last bit added with a nod to the only Stallion working, a young waiter with a dark gray coat, green mane, and orange eyes… and no cutie mark. "Poor Mint Leaf is on bed rest with a _nasty_ cold," Mrs. Rye informed the seven ponies, immediately garnering worried murmurs of concern. "However, her daughter, here, Clover Breeze, knows most of her recipes and has agreed to help with the Summer Sun Celebration rush." Smiles and curious looks all around landed on Clover, so she stepped forward and offered a hesitant smile, her usually down turned ears sinking lower nervously.

"Ahm, I-I mean, _I'm_ glad to be of help," she said simply, barely managing to stop some of her father's accent from changing her words, like it sometimes did when she was frustrated or nervous. Calls of greeting and thanks rang out, and Mrs. Rye quickly started introducing everyone.

"The Stallion is Smoky Mark, he's our newest waiter," she introduced; the Stallion bobbed his head in greeting with a sweet smile, which Clover returned. "Merry-Go-Round is our cashier for most days, the lavender Unicorn over there with the yellow mane, white tail, and green ribbon in her mane." Said Unicorn glanced over, showing off one blue eye, one orange, and smiled happily, the trio of stars on her flank shiny and metallic in gold, silver, and copper.

"Hey there, filly!" she greeted happily; Clover smiled.

"Hello," she greeted back.

"The Mare in the chef's hat is my assistant, Silver Wheat, she helps me plate foods and make the sandwiches." Said Mare had dark red fur and pale pink hair, and kind brown eyes. The picture of a spoon and fork crossing marked her flank. She merely nodded, and Clover nodded back.

"Those two yellow Mares are Dixy and Dot, twin sisters. Dixy has the green mane and blue eyes, and Dot has the purple mane and turquoise eyes. They're snack-makers and assistants, they'll be helping you move soup from the kitchen to the counter, where either a waiter or waitress will pick it up and take it to the customer." The two Mares waved enthusiastically, eyes bright and eager. Dixy had a picture of a spoon with a purple ribbon tied on its handle, and Dot had a fork with a green ribbon on it.

"Nice to meet you, sugar cube!" they chirruped at her, beaming, and Clover smiled back.

"Likewise, Mares," she replied warmly.

"The blue Mare in the green-and-yellow striped apron is our dish-washer, Sudsy. She likes her job, but that doesn't mean she won't need some help in the next few days, so feel free to lend her a hoof."

"Aw, Mrs. Rye! Don't worry about me!" The blue Mare announced, smiling sheepishly and rubbing her short, white mane self-consciously. Her cutie mark was a trio of soap bubbles, and Clover smiled at her.

"I like cleaning, so I'll happily help out when I can," she informed the Mare honestly, and Sudsy gave her a sweet smile.

"Well, in that case, help away!" She laughed; Mrs. Rye shook her head with a fond smile.

"And the last Mare is our senior waitress, Carrie Sweet," Mrs. Rye finished, pointing at the pale orange Mare in the waiters outfit, her blue and purple mane held back in a bun, rectangular blue glasses perched on her muzzle while she smiled politely, gray eyes calm and serious. Her cutie mark was folded napkin and a pencil, which went well with the little notebook in her vest pocket for taking orders.

"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Miss Breeze," she said simply, calmly; Clover bobbed her head in reply, before Mrs. Rye clapped her hooves firmly.

"Oh my, we best be moving, youngin's! Our brunch crowd will be here in fifteen minutes! Oh my, oh my, we've fallen behind schedule!" She despaired, and began shooing everypony to their workspace. "Miss Breeze, dear, can you start making the Sunflower Soup? It's a customer favorite."

"Yes, Ma'am," Clover replied, and began to move around the designated "Soup" area in the kitchen, summoning ingredients while she grabbed bowls and pans. Lost in the world of cooking, Clover worked hard and fast, absently floating bowl after bowl to the counter when Dixy and Dot got swamped as more ponies than usual, apparently, started showing up. Clover didn't notice the curious customers trying to get a better glance at her, and instead focused on making more Sunflower Soup, Day Dream Stew, and Red Velvet Cream Cheese Surprise when Silver Wheat asked for some help in making the desserts.

Before she knew it, a smiling Merry-Go-Round was pulling her away for her lunch break, which consisted of a plate of sandwiches, and a bowl of her own Sunflower Soup. Flashing the ponies around her a smile, she dug into her food, finishing all the soup and half the sandwiches, before she went back to work.

The restaurant closed an hour before sundown, and Clover found herself with nothing to do, Sudsy having already finished the dishes, and Smoky having swept the floor.

"Come on, filly!" Merry-Go-Round said, appearing at her side with a grin. "I'm going to show you around town, since you've never been here before!" Clover hesitated, before nodding her head and trotting after the colorful Unicorn. As they walked, Merry-Go-Round babbled, pointing out buildings and sights and ponies, describing everything around them in happy detail. A blue blur flew by above them, turning out to be a blue Pegasus with rainbow hair and tail, who was laughing as she made clouds spin.

"That's Rainbow Dash," Merry-Go-Round announced, pointing after the laughing Pegasus. "She's a riot, but way too competitive for my tastes, you know? Ponies just gotta sit back and relax sometimes, have fun without trying to beat everyone else around them. But that's just me!" The lavender Unicorn grinned, and Clover smiled back, before the two of them found themselves walking towards a pink pony with Poofy, darker pink mane and tail, bright blue eyes, and three balloons on her flank, two of them blue, the last in yellow. The Earth Pony looked confused and curious, but was smiling, her eyes on Clover.

"Hey, Pinkie!" Merry-Go-Round greeted the pony. "This is Clover Breeze, she's new-" Apparently, it wasn't the best thing to say, because the pink Earth Pony immediately squealed, and galloped off.

"Um…" Clover muttered, staring after the pony, and Merry-Go-Round laughed.

"Oh, don't mind her, filly," the Unicorn told her warmly. "Pinkie Pie is the Party Pony, she throws at _least_ a party a week, and for any occasion she can find. She's just going to set everything up to throw you a jamboree, probably at the town square."

"A party?" Clover murmured, confused; Merry-Go-Round bobbed her head with a sweet smile.

"Pinkie throws the _best_ parties," the Unicorn assured her, before leading her off to see yet more buildings and ponies.

It was getting dark by the time the two of them made it back to the center of Ponyville, where dozens of paper lanterns were now hanging, and what looked like every pony in Ponyville was standing around smiling.

"Suh-PRISE!" A voice shouted, and Pinkie the Party Pony was suddenly muzzle-to-muzzle with Clover, making her yelp and fall back on her hindquarters in surprise. "Were you surprised?! I was totally surprised, especially when I saw you earlier. I mean, I know everypony in Ponyville so, when I found out you were new, I _knew_ I just _had_ to throw you a party because _everypony_ needs a welcoming party! Are you excited?! I'm excited!" she babbled on, so fast Clover was surprised she could breathe and, in a way, she was reminded of Hermione when she found something particularly fascinating and just rambled on and on…

Kinda like Pinkie was _still_ doing…

"-and that made me sad, 'cause everypony should have friends, and now you've got a lot of them!" The Party Pony chirruped. "Here! Have a cupcake!" She then proceeded to shove a strange-smelling cupcake into Clover's mouth, who choked but swallowed it quickly, letting out a harsh breath as her taste buds lit on fire.

"W-was that _hot sauce_?!" She gasped, scraping her tongue on her teeth in an attempt to get rid of the taste.

"Yep! It's my favorite; it tastes really good! Doesn't it?" She beamed, and Clover cleared her throat and genuinely thought about it.

"…Maybe if you put extra-sweet cream cheese frosting in the center," she offered hesitantly. "So that the sweetness counteracts the spicy?" Pinkie stared at her for a second, still grinning, before she squealed and pounced on Clover, squeezing her in a tight hug.

"Oh, I just know we're going to be the best of friends!" She squealed, and Clover hesitantly hugged her back, smiling faintly.

"I hope so, Pinkie." With that, she was swept away, meeting dozens of ponies and remembering only a handful by both face _and_ name. Some she remembered by color, or cutie mark, but all in all, she made several friends.

It was a fun night.

"Clovah?" Clover spun around, eyes wide, and found herself staring into her father's amused eyes. The Zebra smiled warmly down at her, before looking around. "Ah can see dat you be having lots of fun, Sweet One."

"Yes, Papa," Clover replied, before glancing up at the sky, the Mare's image stark against the high moon, showing just how late it had gotten. "Oh no! Papa, I'm sorry," Clover turned wide eyes on the Zebra, nibbling her lip guiltily. "I just got swept up in the party, and-" Zendo laughed, and pulled her close for a hug, kissing her temple next to her horn.

"It be fine, Sweet One," he soothed with a gentle smile. "Ah _did_ tell you to 'ave fun, didn't Ah?"

"Well, yes, but-!"

"Clovah," Zendo interrupted gently, green eyes warm. "You be a young Mare, now! Almost full grown, but you be spending so much time at 'ome, you be missing out on everyt'ing young Mare's be doing! Making friends of your own, playing wit' others, going outside! 'Aving late night parties," he added wryly with a laugh, before he sat on his haunches and cradled her face in his hooves. "You be spending so much time wit' us, you don't be doing tings dat make _you_ 'appy, dat be something _you_ choose to do just _because you can_! Sweet One, Ah never want you to be sad or lonely, and don't be dinking dat Ah 'aven't noticed dat you are," he added with just a hint of scolding and a small frown. Clovers usually lowered ears, lowered even more as she peered up at her father, confused and still feeling a little guilty. Zendo's face gentled once more, and he brushed her bangs back into the rest of her mane, still holding her face.

"It seems like just de odder day you was bein' born, and now Ah look at you, and all Ah see is mah little foal all grown up and stuck inside all de time," he told her softly, wistfully. "Ahm glad you be making friends, Clovah. Ahm glad you be 'appy, and dat dees ponies be making you dat way. Dat's all Ah could evah be wanting for you." He kissed her temple again, and Clover threw her arms around his neck in a hug, burying her face in his neck.

"Papa," she sniffled, and couldn't even feel the least bit embarrassed by the choked, tightness of her voice. How she had always wished for someone to want her to be happy _just_ for her sake, in her other world. And now, here it was happening, and she couldn't help but be moved and thrilled and emotional over the whole thing.

"Now, don't you be crying, Sweet One," Zendo said firmly, pulling back and wiping her tears away with a gentle hoof as she sniffled. "Dis be your party! Ah just came to be checking up on you, make sure dat you 'adn't gotten lost before you got 'ome. Now dat Ah be knowing your safe, Ah'll be getting 'ome myself. 'Ave fun 'ere, Clovah. Make friends, spend de night at somepony's 'ouse. Ah'll be seeing you tomorrow, dough, undahstand?"

"Yes, Papa," she replied, and the two hugged once more, before Zendo left, Clover waving after him and calling out last goodnights.

"Was that your Dad?" Rainbow Dash asked as the Pegasus hovered suddenly next to Clover, staring after Zendo curiously.

"Yeah, that was my Papa," Clover replied, smiling. "He was just coming to check on me, and told me I could spend the night at somepony's house tonight." Rainbow Dash's entire face lit up,

"Ya-HOO!" She sheered, and promptly loop-de-looped. "Did you here that everypony!? Clover can spend the night with somepony tonight!" There were immediately cheers, which frankly bemused Clover. She'd just _met_ all these ponies, and yet, a majority of them were willing to have her spend the night? _Wanted_ her to spend the night?

Clover spent the next hour having fun, and bemusedly listening to the other ponies extol the virtues of staying the night with them. It was strange, to have so many offering her a room, though the paranoia from her previous life was perking its head with all these offers. She was just relieved that there was no equivalent to Date Rape drugs or Love Potions that she'd found in Equestria, so she didn't have to worry about _that_.

Pinkie Pie was once more chattering her ear off, when Clover noticed the pony. Said pony was a Pegasus, and was standing a bit away from all the others, hiding her face a bit in her long, pink mane, whispering to a small white rabbit. Her coat was a pale, golden yellow, and three butterflies made up her cutie mark, all with pink wings and cyan bodies. She looked rather lonely, and Clover felt an immediate spark of protectiveness rise up.

"Pinkie," Clover said suddenly, as the Party Pony babbled on about a conversation she'd had a week before about blueberries.

"Uh-huh?!" The pony chirped, blue eyes wide and bright and eager. Clover smiled at her.

"I'm going to go talk to that pony over there, okay?" She asked, pointing at the shy pony. "But I don't want to scare her, because she looks really shy. Can you go and challenge Rainbow Dash to a cupcake-eating contest or something, so no one interrupts us?" Pinkie blinked, glanced at the Mare Clover was talking about, and perked up.

"Okee-dokee-lokee!" she all but sang. "Have fun talking to Fluttershy, she's kinda hard to hear at first but she's so nice and friendly and sweet like a candy treat, but she's shy and hey! That's in her name! I wonder if that's why she's so shy and hey! That rhymed!" Giggling gleefully, Pinkie threw her forelegs around Clover's neck in a hug, and then galloped off to tackle Rainbow Dash from where she was hovering and bantering with an orange pony with a blonde mane and cowboy hat. Clover shook her head with an amused smile, before she trotted over to the now-named Fluttershy.

"Hello," she greeted warmly; the Pegasus squeaked and tried to hide behind her rabbit. "My name's Clover Breeze," she informed the pony. "I saw you sitting over here all by yourself and thought you could use some extra company."

"Th-thank you," the Pegasus whispered, almost too quiet to hear. "My names flu…tt...sh…" the last word was a messy mumble, and ended in a cute little squeak. _I can see what Pinkie meant now_, Clover thought, and sat in front of the Pegasus.

"Fluttershy, you said?" she asked, as if she didn't know already; meekly, the Mare nodded. "That's a pretty name," Clover told her, smiling as she squeaked. "I got my name because all the ponies in my Mama's family have herb names. My Mama is Mint Leaf, for example, and my uncles are Basil and Parsnip, aren't those funny names? And, guess what!" Fluttershy peeked up and mumbled something that sounded like a garbled 'what', so Clover continued. "They're all cooks!" She grinned. "So they get to cook themselves most days, isn't that silly?" Fluttershy gave a little giggle, and sat up slowly. "And I cook too, though not as well, but my name's Clover, so whenever I use, like, cloves of garlic, I can't help but grin a little, because it's so silly." Fluttershy giggled again, and finally sat up, still hiding a bit behind her mane. Clover was very pleased with herself. Being a bit more talkative then usual was okay, as long as you didn't over-do it, and shy ponies would slowly relax and open up a bit more sometimes. It just took patience. After all, it worked on Neville, and that boy had turned into one of his closest friends in their later years.

"I like your rabbit," Clover informed the shy Mare.

"H-his name is Angel," she told Clover in a sweet voice, smiling gently down at the rabbit, who sniffed and cuddled into Fluttershy's leg. "U-um, Clover, um, I was wondering, if it's not too terribly rude or too much of a bother, if you could, um, tell me w-what it's like, um, being an Alicorn? If it's not too personal, of course, sorry…" she trailed off in some soft mumbled, ducking her head down a bit more. Clover blinked, and tilted her head.

"Well, I dunno," Clover said slowly, looking confused. "I was born this way, but I guess it's just like, well, being a regular Unicorn and a regular Pegasus at the same time, I guess… I mean, I have to learn everything everyone else knows too, and start from the beginning like everyone else, so I don't think it's that much different. Is it?" She tilted her head, genuinely confused, and Fluttershy dragged a hoof through the dirt in tiny circles.

"Um, well, it's just," the Pegasus muttered. "The only Alicorns that anyone's ever really see, are members of the Royal Family. Usually, a Unicorn or Pegasus have to be given the Alicorn attributes, because it's a sort of title, and then they become a Princess or Prince, so I suppose everyone just assumed you were a Princess or something, from far away, or…I don't know…som…th…ng…" she hid more fully in her mane while Clover blinked.

"Ah, that explains some things," she finally acknowledged, nodding. "Well, I'm no Princess. I grew up right here, outside of Ponyville about half an hour's run East," she pointed in the direction of her family's cottage, smiling at Fluttershy when she lifted her head a bit. "I've just never been here before, because I usually spend my time studying or foal-sitting my little brother, who's just a foal yet. Thank's for telling me, Flutter," she said, giving the shy Mare a nickname without hesitation, smiling warmly at the shy smile Fluttershy gave her in return. "Friends?" She asked with a bit of hesitance, offering her hoof; Fluttershy blinked, and then smiled sweetly, and took her hoof in a gentle shake.

"Friends," she agreed softly; Clover beamed, and then carefully pulled the Mare into a discussion on gardening and favorite colors. Another hour or so passed, and the partygoers started dispersing, giving one last welcome to Clover and bidding her goodnight before they left.

"It's rather late," Fluttershy murmured, yawning; immediately, Clover and Angel copied her, making the two Mares giggle.

"Yeah, and I still need to pick someone to spend the night with," Clover replied with a sheepish smile; Fluttershy perked up a bit, then looked down and started drawing circles in the dirt with her hoof.

"Y-you could stay with me," the shy pony told the Alicorn, who lit up with a warm smile.

"If you don't mind, I'd like that, Flutter," Clover told her honestly; Fluttershy smiled, and Clover asked her to come with her while she went to say goodbye to Pinkie and a few others, the shy Pegasus padding along behind her quietly.

"Pinkie!" Clover called; the still wide-awake pony whirled around and launched herself at Clover with a squeal.

"Hey, hi, Clover! Are you and Fluttershy friends now?" She asked, turning a bright, beaming grin on the softly smiling Pegasus.

"Yes we are, thanks for asking!" Clover replied happily, before covering a yawn with a hoof. "Actually, I was coming to say goodnight, because I'm staying at Fluttershy's house tonight, and it's kinda late. Also, I have work in the morning," she added sheepishly. Then she threw her forelegs around the Party Pony and hugged her tight. "Thank you so, so much for the party, Pinkie. It was really fun and I had a blast." Pinkie lit up, beaming happily as she hugged Clover back.

"Yay! I'm so happy you're happy, 'cause if you weren't happy I'd be sad but you're not so that's great! Goodnight, Clover! Goodnight, Fluttershy! 'Night, Angel!" She promptly hugged the three of them goodnight, before bounding away to tackle some poor pony in a hug and babble their half-asleep ears off. Clover chuckled and shook her head, her mane rising a bit before settling once more in it-s straight, knee-length glory as she led Fluttershy around, saying goodnight to people and thanking them for coming to greet her.

"'Night, filly!" Merry-Go-Round cooed when the Mare leapt from the crowd and hugged Clover tightly, lifting her right off the ground when the taller Mare stood on her back legs to give her a shake. "I'll see you tomorrow at work, yes?"

"Yeah, you will," Clover wheezed, laughing weakly as she was dropped back to the ground. Before she could say much else, something slammed into her side and sent her rolling with a yelp, pinned to the ground by Rainbow Dash's dazed form. The cyan Pegasus quickly shook herself to rights, though, and smirked down at the Alicorn, who stared at her exasperatedly.

"Next time you're free, we'll have to race, Clover!" The competitive pony declared, flaring her wings with a grin. "I'm going to be trying out for the _Wonderbolts_, so I need all the practice I can get. Not that I'm not already pretty awesome, but hey, practice makes perfect, right?"

"Yes, it does," Clover told her, amused, as the Pegasus leapt off her with a cheer, and then lunged away to hover next to a sleepily drooping pony and scaring him awake, laughing the whole time. Clover shook her head with a fond smile, and turned inquisitive eyes on Fluttershy, who was walking towards her and away from a pretty white Unicorn with a fancily curled indigo mane and tail.

"Ready to go, Flutter?" Clover asked; the Mare smiled and flickered her wings, lifting into the air gently, with Angel on her back.'

"This way," she said softly; Clover flared her wings and leapt after her, rising into a gentle glide to fly alongside her new friend. "I hope you don't mind my animal friends, I have a lot of them and they stay a lot at my house."

"I don't have a problem," Clover reassured her warmly. "I like animals, so it's fine!" They two of them flew gently away from Ponyville, until they reached a large, warm-looking cottage, surprisingly close to Everfree Forest. Fluttershy quickly unlocked the door and held it open with a sweet smile.

"I know it's not much," Fluttershy told her as she led Clover you to the second floor, past dozens of sleeping critters, to a surprising large room. "This is my room," the Pegasus told her softly, looking slightly proud. "I have a spare bed in the closet, though it's mostly used by my bear friend when he comes to visit." She happily fluttered over to said closet and opened it, pulling out an immense, fuzzy pillow, as big as her own bed, if not bigger. "I know it's not an _actual_ bed, but it's really soft and comfy, and…" she trailed off and nibbled her lips, so Clover trotted over and set a hoof on her shoulder.

"It's awesome, Flutter," she reassured the Pegasus, before grabbing a corner of the bed with her teeth and helping Fluttershy drag it further into the room, until it was next to the shy Mare's own, with enough space between no-pony had to worry about stepping on anypony. After that, the two of them started getting ready for bed, with Clover borrowing a bit of mouthwash to clean her teeth, since she didn't have her toothbrush.

Finally, they turned off the lights and climbed into the respective beds, with Clover pulling an extra blanket over herself while she did.

"Goodnight, Clover," Fluttershy murmured softly, before yawning, snuggling into the already dozing Angel.

"Goodnight, Fluttershy," Clover replied with a yawn of her own. It took only a few minutes before she was dozing, and slipping steadily into sleep. At the moment before she fell fully asleep, Fluttershy spoke up in a quiet whisper.

"I'm glad we're friends." Clover smiled and let her consciousness slip away, getting lost in dreamland, with one last, conscious, thought.

"_Me too, Fluttershy. Me too."_

**A/N:** Fluttershy needed more airtime, honestly. TA-DA! Chapter done!

Q&A

**Q: Is Harry/Clover the same age as the Mane Six, the CMC, or is this a completely different timeline?**

A: Harry/Clover is about six months to a year younger than the Mane Six, and this is in the same timeline, I just introduced her (and a bunch of random OC's, wut) before Twilight showed up.

**Q: Are you going to set up a poll for the Pairing with Harry?**

A: I don't think I will, mostly because I'm leaning towards making this Gen until later chapters, and then I'll have to decide what kind of relationship it will have (IE, FemSlash or Straight) but that won't be 'til later, so it'll stay Gen until that time.

**Q: Are you going to continue it?**

A: Why yes, yes I am. Lolz

**Q: Aren't Alicorn's royalty and not a birthright?**

A: I took creative licence with that. I understand that, to be an Alicorn, is to be made into Loyalty, and isn't given out willy-nilly and such, but I also believe that it's just not possible for a naturally born Alicorn to not happen! I mean, if a Pegasus and a Unicorn had babies, then an Alicorn HAS to be born at LEAST once in a while! I mean, seriously! But, anyways, while Harry is now TECHNICALLY Royalty, he wasn't raised such, so, there you go! ^-^

**RANDOM SHOUT-OUT TO **_**ultima-owner**_** WHO REASSURED ME THAT, YES, JAMAICAN ACCENTS ARE HARD TO WRITE, BUT THAT I WAS DOING A DECENT JOB OF IT ANAYWAY**

_**THANK YOU!**_


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Wow, I'm really glad so many people like this! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I really like reading them.

Also, longest chapter yet, as well as long list of questions.

APOLOGIES AHEAD OF TIME FOR MISTAKES, AND ALSO LET IT BE KNOWN THAT FF.N TOOK OUT MY ITALICS SO I PROBABLY MISSED A BUNCH, SORRY!

Enjoy!

**[Edit:** went through and fixed about 95% of the mistakes and such, then reposted. I was mostly asleep when I posted, lolz**]**

**Fields of Thyme**

_**Chapter Two:**_

_The Summer Sun Celebration_

"Order up!" Dot called as she quickly walked out of the kitchen with four bowls of Sunflower Soup, all precariously balanced on her forelegs and hooves, though she walked quickly and confidently. Clover was standing on a chair, in order to see into the jumbo-sized pot of the favorite soup, stirring with a large, bizarre utensil, which was actually three spoons taped together so that they actually reached the bottom of the pan, something needed to make sure none of it stuck to the bottom.

"Is that vat almost done, Clover?" Silver Wheat called as she carefully handed a massive platter of sandwiches to Dixy.

"Just a few more minutes, Silver, then the last three drops of sunflower oil need to be added," Clover replied immediately. Silver Wheat grimaced and glanced out at the over-full café. They'd been swamped almost since morning, ponies excited for the night's festivities, ponies visiting for an excuse to see Princess Celestia in the flesh. And there were still those ponies that wanted to meet or see Clover, whether under the misconception that she was Royal, her exotic appearance, or just because she was a new face.

"There's no time," Silver Wheat declared, shaking her pale pink mane out of her face. "Clover, I need you to run down to Sweet Apple Acres, we need two more bushels of apples, and we need them immediately, we've got one barrel left and twenty orders for Mashed Apple Pudding, with an added ten of Apple Dumplings and some Apple Sweet Soup. I'll hop to and handle the rest of this vat, you run off, quickly." Clover bobbed her head.

"Stir it twenty more times, turn the heat down by half, stir three more times, add three drops of sunflower oil, and let it simmer for three minutes, then it's ready to serve," Clover listed off swiftly, and Silver Wheat nodded. Clover darted into the air and tucked her feet in close, choosing to fly over the darting forms of her co-workers instead of dodge out of their ways, and ducked out the back door. Once free of the building, she shot into the air and sped southwest, towards the Apple Orchard. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a carriage from Canterlot, no doubt the Princesses inspector for the Celebration. She didn't have time for that though, and soon she was skidding to a landing in the orchard, where a few of the Apple Clan were wondering around. A large, red Stallion with a large working collar was overseeing a few younger ponies buck a tree of it's apples. He paused at the sight of Clover skidding to a stop just a few feet in front of him, the piece of straw in his mouth pausing mid-chew.

"Hello, hey, hi," Clover babbled out swiftly, hair frazzled and eyes wide. "I'm from the Soup & Rye restaurant, and we need two more bushels of apples, please, charged to the restaurant's tab, please and thank you, we're in the middle of a _huge_ rush right now," she informed him rapidly, jittery from urgency. The large red draft-pony bobbed his head.

"Eeyup," he replied. "I'll get you that now, Miss," he told her, green eyes half-lidded, before he turned towards the nearest tree, which had several baskets under it. As soon as he got to it, he swiftly turned and kicked the trunk firmly with one back leg, shaking the whole tree. Seconds later, dozens of apples fell, straight into the baskets. Immediately, three of the closest Farm Ponies darted in and swiftly had several baskets emptied into two large bushels.

"Y'all need help gettin' 'em to your shop, Miss?" The Draft-Pony asked in a relaxed sort of way; Clover flashed him a bright grin and shook her head, horn glowing and bushels lifting into the air as she flared her wings and lifted into a hover between them.

"Thank you, but I've always been good at multi-tasking." Bobbing her head with another thank you and smile, she took off back to the restaurant as fast as she left, bushels zooming after her, surrounded in the pale green glow of her magic. As soon as she landed, she floated the bushels across the kitchen to Mrs. Rye's station so she could make the requested orders, and leapt back onto her chair and immediately started mixing up a slightly-smaller pot of Evergreen Mint Soup. Time sped by in a blur of constant work.

"You eat yet, filly?" Merry-Go-Round asked as she passed with a huge plate of sandwiches. Clover grunted, grabbed a sandwich off the top, and quickly gobbled it down, uncaring of manners as long as no crumbs went into the soup she was making. She waved a hoof at the colorful Unicorn, who snorted and moved away to feed the rest of the chefs. Several hours passed as they stayed open for a few extra hours after their usual closing time, the many customers slowly dwindling as ponies heard of another party Pinkie was throwing for the Celebration Inspector to make her feel welcome. Clover was exhausted by the end, slumped over a table with Dixy, Dot, and Smoky Mark as the four of them wearily slurped at some leftover Garden Mash-Up Soup (a mixed-vegetable soup that had a spiciness to it from an extra dash of hot sauce).

"Ah dink Ahm goin' to sleep for a yea'," Clover muttered tiredly, her father's accent sliding into her words thickly as she heaved a sigh; Smoky gave her a tired grin.

"Unfortunately, we have work tomorrow, too." At the reminder, all three Mares groaned, flopped their heads onto the table, and covered their heads with their hooves.

"Oh my, that was a harrying day!" Mrs. Rye declared as she trotted over to their table; Clover lifted her head.

"Mrs. Rye, Ah-_I_ think you should seriously consider hiring on an extra cook," she informed her temporary employer firmly, correcting herself when she noticed her accent shifting. "And maybe a few extra hooves for moving the food about, and helping Smoky and Ms. Sweet. Judging from today, if there were ever a rush like this again, then you'd all be running around like headless chickens."

"You're absolutely right, youngin'," the periwinkle Pony agreed with a nod, before smiling sweetly. "And that is exactly the reason that I went to visit your parents yesterday, and asked if I could hire you on as a part-time chef alongside your mother." At the startled look that crossed Clovers face, she giggled, her signature 'oh my' slipping in and out amongst the laughing. "Welcome to the kitchen, Clover!" The other ponies cheered and patted her on the back, or hugged her in Merry-Go-Round's case.

"Th-thank you!" Clover managed to blurt, finally remembering her manners through her stunned state. Mrs. Rye waved it away, still giggling.

"Oh my, think nothing of it, youngin'! Now, all of you run off, go to that party Miss Pinkie Pie was raving about earlier, at the Golden Oak Library. I'll see you at the pavilion later for the Sun Raising!" She announced, shooing the workers out, besides Sudsy and Silver Wheat, who were doing the last of the dishes.

"Come on, colt," Merry-Go-Round urged Smoky, pushing the uncertain Stallion out the door with Clover bemusedly following. "You skipped out on Clover's party, you're coming to this one!"

"I'm not much for parties," he defended himself, digging his back hooves in and leaning back; however, he was only a little older than Clover, and not much bigger, so the older Mare shoved him along with surprising strength for a Unicorn.

"I don't care, you're coming," the Unicorn declared sharply, and Clover shook her head as she followed the pair all the way to the library, where they found they were some of the last to arrive. Shrugging, Clover went over and helped Pinkie Pie tie some balloons up in the rafters, joined by Rainbow Dash, who smirked and threw confetti at the Alicorn.

"I still want that race later," the cyan Pegasus informed her; Clover grinned.

"You'll get it when I get a day off," she reassured the competitive Mare. Rainbow Dash grinned.

"And when you do, I'm going to totally kick your butt," she declared confidently; Clover chuckled softly.

"We'll have to see," she mused, and pulled a ribbon tight with her teeth, flying down to get some more.

"They're coming!" Someone called; there was an immediate rush as everyone hid, the lights turning off. Instead of landing and trying to find a place to hide, Clover slipped onto the main beam with Rainbow Dash, and the two of them crouched there in a way reminiscent of some jungle cat ready to pounce. A Unicorn stalked into the dark library, with what looked like a weird lizard right next to her. She was complaining, and, while her voice was easy for Clover to hear where she was at, the words were not. Apparently she'd been wanting to research something all day, but everypony wanted to talk with her, and she was now upset she hadn't gotten to research that something?

…

Good Celestia, she was like a ponified version of Hermione!

Suddenly, the lights flared on, and Clover barely managed to yell "Surprise!" in time, but, startled as she was, it came out with her father's accent, and sounded more like "Siprahse!" much to her embarrassment. Rainbow Dash laughed at her, and Clover cleared her throat, ears pinned back sharply in embarrassment, and fluttered her wings before gliding down onto the ground, slouching into the crowd to sulk for a few minutes while the cyan Pegasus flew down to see the Honorary guest, who, Clover could now see, was a lavender Unicorn (Darker than Merry-Go-Round, but not quite any other shade of purple). Her mane and tail were mostly long, and tri-colored, with a dark sapphire as the main streak, followed by a deep violet, and finished off with a streak of bright rose. Her eyes, from what Clover could tell, were a deep violet, and her cutie mark was made up of a large, six-pointed pink star, surrounded by five smaller white sparkles. She watched as Pinkie Pie all but accosted the newcomer, until the Unicorn accidentally drank what looked like hot sauce (probably on the table so Pinkie could add it to her cupcakes), and ran up the stairs to what were probably her sleeping quarters. Clover just huffed and settled farther into her corner, still embarrassed. She knew she slipped into her father's accent occasionally, and that it wasn't anything to be embarrassed about, but…

Well, she didn't like to be laughed at, or stared at, for it. And she didn't like slipping into the accent when she wasn't paying attention, either. She'd worked hard to keep the accent out of her every-day voice, especially since she spent more time with her father than mother. But, that wasn't really the point at the moment.

Stupid, messed up emotions…

"Clover," came a soft, sweet voice; Clover looked up from where she was sulking, and offered a half-smile to the slightly frowning Pegasus.

"Hey there, Flutter," she greeted; the Pegasus trotted closer and peered into her face.

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked worriedly; Clover grimaced, ears pinning back tighter. She sighed and rubbed her foreleg with a hoof.

"Yeah I just… I'm kind of embarrassed right now," she told her friend, looking away.

"Why?" Fluttershy asked softly, sitting next to her with wide, concerned blue eyes, while the ponies around them continued to party.

"I wasn't expecting the lights to come on so suddenly, and I slipped into my Papa's accent," she admitted with a sheepish look. "And, I know she wasn't being mean or anything, but Rainbow Dash laughed and, I don't know, it's just kind of embarrassing is all," she muttered, and dropped her hoof to the ground to lightly kick at the floor, staring down at it.

"Oh," Fluttershy murmured; Clover nodded, lowering her head a bit more.

"I know it's silly," she muttered, shifting unhappily. "But it just really embarrasses me, because it only happens when I'm startled or frustrated or not paying attention, and-!"

"It's not silly at all," Fluttershy interrupted, which got Clover to lift her head with a little flash of surprise. Fluttershy, overly polite, soft-spoken _Fluttershy_, had just _interrupted_ her! "Something that upsets you is never silly, Clover. And, I know Rainbow Dash never _means_ to be mean when she teases, she's a good pony, but sometimes she just, well, goes a little too far…" Fluttershy trailed off, looking unhappy saying negative things about anypony. "Well, anyways, I'm sorry you're unhappy," she murmured, and then shyly hugged Clover, who immediately hugged her back, smiling into her mane.

"Thanks, Fluttershy," she murmured; Fluttershy pulled back with a sweet smile, and then suddenly looked shy and curious.

"Um, Clover?" she murmured, looking down and drawing circles with her hoof. "Um, I'm sorry to bring it up, considering what we just spoke about, but, well, um…" She trailed off into indecipherable mumbles and squeaks, hiding in her mane, and Clover lifted her down-turned ears a bit. Then she smiled.

"You want to hear my accent, don't you?" she asked, relaxing out of her earlier sulk enough to smile in amusement.

"If it's not too much to ask…" the shy Pegasus murmured; Clover smiled and straightened up a bit.

"It be no problem, Fluttah," she replied, her father's accent coming out strong and sweet, even though her voice deepened to compensate for the different pronunciations. "Ah 'ave no problems wit' sharing mah accent, it only be de tahms when it comes out when Ah don't mean it to." Flutter covered her mouth with her hooves, eyes bright with fascinated glee.

"Oh, Clover, it's so…so… Pretty!" She squeaked, beaming brightly, and Clover felt the fur on her cheeks darken as she flushed, ducking her head and rubbing a hoof on her foreleg with a shy smile.

"Dank you, Fluttah," she replied, before clearing her throat and dropping the accent. "No ponies ever said it was pretty before," she muttered, and, for once, it was _Clover_ hiding behind her mane shyly, the mostly white hair becoming a convenient curtain. Fluttershy pressed her muzzle more firmly against her hooves, and giggled sweetly for a minute, making Clover peek through her mane hesitantly.

"I think it was very pretty," she whispered, and reached forward to fix the Alicorns mane off to one side like it usually was, smiling happily. "And I think you're a very sweet pony, and I'm very happy we're friends." Clover smiled and reached forward to tug lightly on Fluttershy's long pink bang (not bangs, because there was only one, but it fit the shy Pegasus very well).

"Best friends," Clover stated firmly; Fluttershy's eyes lit up and the two of them beamed, before the Alicorn determinedly led the pale gold Pegasus out into the crowd, and they began to enjoy the party.

They played the game "Would you rather", with an older Earth Pony Mare being the one to offer the choices, so nothing too embarrassing or traumatizing came up (although, when the Mare asked Rainbow Dash if she would give up all her naps or give up half of her speed, Clover thought the Pegasus was going to hyperventilate, before wailing about how she'd give up her naps, and then slumping over with a dramatic groan, making the Alicorn and Fluttershy giggle). They ate cupcakes and chips, sipped soda, and tentatively danced (which really just consisted of the two of them swaying and occasionally bobbing their heads more than usual, as neither of them wanted to even try dancing). Pinkie was spazzing out, and would randomly appear (almost like teleportation, but only the Unicorn's could do that. Clover would be able to, as well, but she hadn't learned the spell yet, and she couldn't use the same way as her old world, because it didn't work and made her dizzy, spinning in circles). She'd babble for several long minutes, handed them both a cupcake and a kazoo, or plopped a party hat on their heads, before hugging them tightly, squealing, and running off to start some new dance or game or try to feed some poor pony her "Special Cupcake".

The hours wore on, and, while tired from work and the late hour, Clover couldn't remember having so much fun… Or if she had ever met a dragon that _hadn't_ tried to take a bite out of her. Spike, the lizard-thing (who was actually just a baby dragon), was a sweet little drake, and cute, too, especially with his not-so-secret crush on Rarity (The pretty, white Unicorn with indigo mane and tail that was friends with Fluttershy, who was a bit of a diva, and a fashionista, and spoke with a refined, sort-of snooty attitude, but she was a good sort, so Clover didn't really mind.). Clover also met the orange Earth Mare Rainbow Dash was always bantering with, Applejack. She was a good sort as well, if a bit enthusiastic when shaking hooves (Honestly, Clover's hoof was still trembling slightly, but Fluttershy assured her that it meant the Farm Pony liked you, so Clover ignored it and just smiled). While they were talking, the large red Stallion Clover had met earlier that day wandered over, and Clover thanked him for his help earlier that day, and apologized for being in such a rush. He just smiled slight and bobbed his head in what could have been a shallow bow, and introduced himself as Big Macintosh, before he asked how she'd gotten to be working at a restaurant so young. This had led to her explaining how her mother had fallen ill, and how her father had thought it good for her to go and socialize, which, now that she had, she agreed with.

"Though, I miss my little brother, Zeb," she told the Draft Stallion, and, by extensions, her friends, who were all sitting (or, in Rainbow's case, hovering) around her listening. "He's just a little foal still, barely five years old, and, well, we're pretty close, so not seeing him in two days is kinda hard." She slumped a bit and frowned sadly, before shaking her head firmly, mane flying, and grinned over at Fluttershy and the abruptly-arriving Pinkie Pie, who beamed and plopped a party hat over Clover's horn without so much as a by-your-leave. "But I don't regret coming into town, that's for sure!" She laughed and tried to pull away from Pinkie's hooves as she squealed and babbled about how happy she was that Clover was there as well, hugging her chokingly tight, before bounding away to start dancing erratically. Big Macintosh smirked and bobbed his head, before bidding them a good night, and welcoming Clover to Ponyville one last time. Applejack rolled her bright green eyes in exasperation.

"Ah swear," she complained in her sharp, country drawl. "That Stallion is more of a recluse then th' spider! An' that's the plum honest truth!" She shook her long blond mane, which was held together at the end by a tie to keep it from getting in the way of anything, just like her equally long and blond tail. She smiled, though, at Clover. "Well, Clover, it was nice to finally meetcha! Pinkie's been talkin' all over 'bout ya, and I was darn curious. Now, Ah must say, it's nice to meetcha, an' Ah know we're gonna be good friends!" Clover smiled sweetly at the Farm Pony, feeling slightly touched.

"Me too, AJ," she agreed, and tapped hooves with the grinning Farm Pony. "Friends." After that, Applejack wandered off to keep Rainbow Dash out of trouble after the Pegasus had drank three soda's and ate seven cupcakes at once in a dare, and was now on a sugar high.

As the night wore on, Clover and Fluttershy played more games; played a game of aerial tag with the other Pegasi that were there, and ate what was definitely too much sugar. Finally, it was time to watch the sun rise, and the two giggling Mares hovered after their friends, chattering happily about the party and how they couldn't wait to see the Princess, and about Fluttershy's bird band.

"Good luck!" Clover called after her as the pale gold Pegasus flew to her post, before the Alicorn glided down to the ground and settled in on her haunches, sitting straight and curious eyes on the deck where the Princess was supposed to show up. Suddenly, there was a gentle tug on the end of her long white-and-black mane, and, startled, she turned her head to look.

There, sitting in front of her, were three adorable little filly foals, all of which were looking up at her with big eyes and sweet smiles. An Earth Pony, Pegasus, and Unicorn.

"Hiya, Miss!" The Earth foal in the middle greeted. She had a butter-yellow coat, a red mane, which was held out of her face by a large pink ribbon, and big, doleful orange eyes that had Clover uncomfortable in a second. "Mah names Apple Bloom!" Another of the foals leapt forward, the little Pegasus on the left. This one was a light, tangerine sort of orange, with fuchsia mane, and lavender eyes.

"Hey, hi! I'm Scootaloo, are you _really_ a Princess?" the foal demanded, and was promptly smacked upside the head by the Unicorn, who hissed her name scoldingly.

"You don't just _ask_ a pony something like that!" she scolded, before turning primly to Clover and holding her hoof out in a careful way, as if she had been practicing the move. "My name is Sweetie Belle. It's nice to meet you!" Clover bemusedly shook the foal's little hoof, and looked her over. White coat (that have a lavender tint), curly, well-maintained mane that was half berry-purple, half rose-pink, and big, dark green eyes…

"Are you related to Rarity?" She asked the little Unicorn, who lit up with delight.

"Yeah, she's my big sister!" She chirruped, looking utterly ecstatic about being recognized as Rarity's sister. Clover smiled down at her, and turned to the other two.

"Well, it's nice to meet you all," she told them warmly. "I'm Clover Breeze and, to answer your question, Scootaloo, no, I am not a Princess. I was born and raised just a little trot outside of Ponyville." The three looked slightly disappointed, so Clover changed the subject. "Well, I know I recognized Rarity in Sweetie Belle, but are you related to Applejack and Big Macintosh by any chance, Apple Bloom?" The yellow filly lit up and beamed.

"Yup!" she declared. "They're mah big sister and mah big brother!" Clover smiled and turned her eyes on Scootaloo, making a humming sound as she leaned down, making a show of looking at the little filly closely, getting a giggle.

"Now, _you_, little filly," she murmured, with a small smile. "_You_ remind me of somepony, but I can't quite remember…" All but bouncing, the little Pegasus flapped her wings excitedly.

"Maybe Rainbow Dash?!" She demanded, excited. "She's only the most awesome pony in all of Ponyville!" Clover watched, bemused, as the little Pegasus started to wax on and on about the 'awesomeness that is Rainbow Dash' for a few moments, before chuckling.

"Probably that," she agreed just to see the little filly beam. The lights dimmed, and Clover quickly shushed the three as Fluttershy's bird band sang out beautifully. Scootaloo didn't hesitate to scramble up onto the Alicorn, standing on her shoulders with her hooves on Clovers head. Clover, used to Zeb doing the same, leaned down a bit so that the other two could climb on as well, before she carefully lifted from the ground in a hover.

The spotlight flared on, to show an older mare standing under the platform the Princess was supposed to show. Everyone quieted.

"Fillies and gentlecolts!" The old Mare exclaimed, smiling gently as her gray-and-white mane caught the light. "As Mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure, to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!" Immediately, everyone cheered, Scootaloo getting too excited and managing to fall off Clover's shoulders, making the Alicorn flare her horn in order to catch the not-quite flight-ready filly, who giggled sheepishly, but seemed content to just be levitated, lavender eyes locked onto the olive-coated Mayor. When everyone had quieted (mostly), the Mayor continued her speech.

"In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor, to introduce to you, the Ruler of our land. The very pony who gives us the sun and the moon every day! The good, the wise; the Bringer of Harmony to all of Equestria! Princess Celestia!" Music flowed into life as Rarity, up on the Princesses platform, pulled the curtains back with a flourish…

Exposing nothing but an empty room.

Murmurs of confusion and nervousness rose through the room, as everypony looked around uncertainly. Clover frowned, a sense of foreboding rising, up, and quickly levitated all three of the little fillies to the ground, landing next to them.

"Stay close," she told the three, who were beginning to look scared. "Something's not right…"

"Remain calm, everypony," the Mayor called, looking concerned herself. "There _must_ be a reasonable explanation!" Pinkie, ever the optimist, began to bounce around wondering aloud if the Princess was playing a game of hide-and-seek. Clover narrowed her eyes on the platform as Rarity ran in to check, and used a hoof to pull the three fillies in close to her side, flaring her wings protectively. Rarity ran back out, and hesitantly stopped at the edge.

"She's… She's _gone_!" The Unicorn declared, inciting multiple, horror-filled gasps. The foals whimpered, and Clover stepped over them, wings remaining flared as she shielded the three… From what, it became quickly apparent, as, just as the gasps had quieted, an ominous navy-blue mist spilled onto the platform, mimicking the night sky (she could see, even from where she was on the pavilion floor, many of the constellations her father had taught her over the years. The Warrior Pony, the Manticore, and others, all spread out within that night-filled mist.). The mist grew large and, in a sharp movement, spit in two down the middle, falling to either side to become the impressive mane and tail of the pony now standing there.

She was an Alicorn, with a coat as black as pitch, wearing dark blue armor that looked light against her ominous coat. Her eyes were a sharp dark turquoise blue, and angled, narrowed it derision as her slit pupils rove over them all. She smirked at the terrified ponies below her. The foals whimpered and pressed against each other from their hiding place beneath Clover, and the young Mare narrowed her eyes at the new comer, and flared her wings out a little more in instinctual aggression.

This was not good.

"Oh, my _beloved_ subjects," the Mare said with a cruel smile, voice mocking and sly. "It's been _so long_ since I've seen your _precious_ little, sun-loving faces." Her voice shifted into an angry, bitter hiss at the end, and she sneered down at them all.

"What did you do with our Princess?!" Rainbow Dash demanded in her usual way, glaring furiously at the Mare. She tried to lunge at the Mare, wings beating sharply, but was held back by Applejack biting the end of her tail and leaning back with a muffled "Whoa there, Nelly!" as the black Mare began to laugh darkly.

"What," she began mockingly. "Am I not _Royal_ enough for _you_? Don't you know who I am?" Immediately, Pinkie Pie tried to guess, up until Applejack shoved an apple into her mouth, muffling her. "Does my crown no longer count," the Mare asked, getting into Fluttershy's face and frightening her birds away. "Now that I've been _imprisoned _for a _thousand_ years?" She leaned away from Fluttershy, and was immediately in Rarity's face. "Did you not recall the legend? Did you not _see_ the _signs_?"

"I did," the Unicorn whose party they'd come from spoke up, glaring determinedly up at the mysterious Mare, who turned her wretched gaze on her. "And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon, _Nightmare Moon_!" The crowd gasped, and Apple Bloom whimpered under Clover.

"Well, well, well!" The newly named Nightmare Moon declared with a smirk, leaning up and flaring her wings in a vane show of power. "Somepony who remembers me!" Her eyes narrowed on the Unicorn as her smirk widened. "Then you also know why I'm here." The Unicorn seemed to hesitate, her fear ratcheting up under the dastardly Mare's attention.

"You're here to… To!" Nightmare Moon chuckled again, so Clover spoke up.

"I think I know what you're here to do," her voice rang out as she stepped over the foals, her flared wings blocking their huddled forms from sight until a nearby Stallion pulled them into his little group of friends protectively. Nightmare Moons turquoise eyes narrowed and focused on her, something dark and furious, but interested flowing through her gaze. Clover let her eyes fall half-lidded. "You're here to raise eternal night, to swallow the sun and forbid the day from rising again."

"Clever little filly," Nightmare Moon mused, smirking down at her. Clover frowned.

"My Papa taught me the stars since I was barely able to walk," she said walking forward until she and the Unicorn in the center were side-by-side. "He taught me to read them, to listen, to love them. But, he also taught me the wonders of daylight, the reason it exists. Without day, there can _be_ no night." Her voice was strong, as she stood tall next to the hunched over, wide-eyed Unicorn, who was actually taller than Clover when standing straight. "What you seek to do will doom us all. Even you." Nightmare Moon hissed.

"I will be ruler of all of Equestria!" She snapped; Clover glared.

"A ruler over a barren waste, where nothing grows and no ponies reside." She sneered up at the larger Alicorn. "A ruler over that is a ruler over _nothing_." Nightmare Moon looked incensed, and hissed once more before turning her eyes onto the crowd, who collectively cringed back under her glower.

"Remember this day, little ponies," she declared to the crowd, "for it was your last! From this moment forth, the _night_ will _last, __**forever**_!" She immediately threw back her head with a triumphant laugh, her mane and tail growing into a massive vortex above her, lightning crashing dramatically.

"Seize her!" The Mayor shouted to the Royal Guards. "Only she knows where the Princess is!" The guards flew up at the spinning vortex.

"Stand back, you _fools_!" The Alicorn shouted, and used her magic to send bolts of lightning to blast the Guards out of the air.

With an ominous crash of thunder, she disappeared, her starry-mist zooming out of the pavilion, leaving panicky ponies in her wake. Clover glared at the place she had been, before shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

"What a Drama-Pony," she declared, before turning and trotting over to the group of ponies hiding the three foals from view. Once she was certain they were alright, and that Big Macintosh, who had quickly joined her, was going to take them somewhere safe, she hurried over to the fallen Guards and began to help them to their hooves. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a certain six Mares leaving, and bit back a groan.

_Curse those stubborn Mares!_

As soon as she had made sure all the Guards were alright, she found the Mayor.

"We need to make sure everypony stays calm, ma'am," she told the frazzled-looking Mare, who nodded sharply and climbed onto the platform.

"Ponies!" She called out, voice barely heard. Clover shook her head and focused her magic around the Mayor's mouth. "_**PONIES!**_" Her voice came out immensely loud, shaking the windows and making nearly everypony clamp their hooves over their ears. She looked started, and Clover coughed into her hoof, magic fading from her horn. The nearest Guard, who looked to be the one in charge, gave her an approving nod. "Er, thank you, dear," the Mayor said to her, before turning to the crowd. "I know you are all worried and frightened, but now is not the time! I want all of you to return to your homes, or stay with a friend. No pony is to leave town tonight! Dark things are on the horizon, but we will stand strong and true! My good ponies, please take care! And stay safe," she implored; immediately, the crowd started to disperse, and Clover turned to the Guard who seemed to be in charge.

"I'm sorry to ask this of your men, considering what just happened," she told him quietly. "But I think, perhaps, a perimeter needs to be set, with no less than three guards on a pass, and four on every main entrance into town." The large, armored Pegasus Stallion nodded in agreement.

"That is a good plan, My Lady," he agreed seriously; Clover flushed.

"I'm no lady, sir," she corrected uncertainly. "I was born and raised here in Ponyville… Or, well, just outside it… Which reminds me, my family needs to be informed, and!"

"I'll have a scout sent immediately to escort them into town, Miss," the Guard interrupted soothingly, expression softening just the slightest bit. "It's not safe to be away from the town at the moment." Clover thanked him gratefully, and left him to order his troops. When she was sure it was safe, she slipped away, darting into the air and peering around, trying to see which way her friends had gone. High in the air, with the full moon casting plenty of light, it was reminiscent of her old Quidditch games, and she treated it as such. A flash of familiar rainbow caught her eye, and she turned in time to watch it disappear into the Everfree Forest.

"Got you," she murmured, and flew swiftly after them, eyes narrowed as she dove down into the trees. She found her friends within moments, just in time to watch the ledge they were standing on, crumble beneath their hooves and fall. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy hovered, wide eyed.

"Come on, fillies!" Clover called, diving past them after their friends. Rainbow Dash zoomed past, grabbing Pinkie, and Clover helped Fluttershy catch Rarity when the shy Pegasus struggled a moment. Turning to their last two friends, she was relieved to see Applejack holding onto the Unicorn from before. Quickly, Clover took over carrying Rarity, and Fluttershy zoomed over to help Rainbow Dash. Applejack finally convinced the Unicorn to trust her, and let go, and the two immediately caught the Unicorn as Clover gently set Rarity on the ground next to Pinkie Pie. They almost dropped her, but that was more because Fluttershy wasn't used to carrying more than a small animal or two.

"Is everypony alright?" Clover demanded, looking over them all worriedly.

"Nothing more than a bump or bruise, dahling," Rarity declared with her posh accent; Clover sighed with relief.

"How did you find us?" Rainbow Dash asked as she and Fluttershy finally set the Unicorn safely on the ground. Clover shrugged.

"I'm very good at spotting things from a high altitude," she replied. "You ponies are just lucky I waited until _after_ you left to ask the Guards to set up a perimeter so no pony could leave!" she glared at them all. "What in the name of Celestia were you _thinking!_?" After some hesitant looks, they told her about the Elements of Harmony, and how they needed to find them because they were the only way to defeat Nightmare Moon. Clover groaned and rubbed her snout with her hoof, wondering if this was what Professor McGonagall had felt like, dealing with him, Ron and Hermione when Clover was Harry…

"Right then," she sighed. "Let's get moving. Another set of eyes and hooves might help, so I'm coming with," she informed them firmly; the others nodded, and Clover turned to the lavender Unicorn (whose name she'd finally found out during the explanation). "Where do we go from here, Twilight?" Twilight nodded and started leading the way.

"This way is the fastest path from here on," she told them, and proceeded to lead them down a path. The next twenty minutes of walking was filled with blow-by-blow commentary about what had just happened by Rainbow Dash, much to Twilight's annoyance.

"Yes, Rainbow," the Unicorn finally said, once the Pegasus had reached the ending of her tale for the third time. "I was there. And I'm _very_ grateful, but we gotta-!" she was interrupted when a huge shadow slammed down into place between the seven ponies and their path. The shadow was swiftly illuminated, exposing a massive, manned lion with large dragon-like wings and a deadly looking scorpion stinger for a tail.

"A Manticore!" Twilight cried out in alarm; the creature reared up on its hindpaws and threw its dexterous forepaws in the air aggressively, and gave a bone-rattling roar. "We've gotta get past him," the Unicorn declared; the creature lunged at Rarity, swiping at the primadonna pony, and missing. Immediately, the unicorn whirled around, and bucked him right in the face with a triumphant cry.

"Take that, you roughian!" she declared; the Manticore replied with a roar right in her face, making her beautiful mane fluff up immediately, to her dismay. She galloped out of his reach. Clover thought she heard Fluttershy say something, but a snarl drowned it out. The snarl cut off abruptly in a startled moment, when Applejack appeared on the large creatures neck, and began an impromptu rodeo as the Manticore began to fling himself around, eventually launching the Farm Pony into the air. Applejack passed Rainbow as she went, and cheerfully handed her the ring, as it were. The confident Pegasi darted in, and began to zoom around the Manticore in a rainbow typhoon, trapping him temporarily…

Until his scorpion tail hit her mid zoom, sending her off to slam into the ground with a bone-jarring thud.

"Rainbow!" Twilight cried. Clover stepped forward to make sure the Pegasus was okay, helping her to her hooves in time for the rest of the ponies to start charging at the creature… Until Fluttershy appeared in front of them, hooves thrown out in the universal sign to stop.

"WAIT!" The soft-spoken Pegasus yowled, making everypony skid to a halt, and even the Manticore to abruptly silence for a moment. When she saw that they had obeyed, Fluttershy turned to the creature, and moved closer. It roared, and Clover felt her heart leap into her throat, but Fluttershy just shushed him gently and nuzzled his front, left paw, which, Clover suddenly noticed, he had been favoring the entire fight.

"Oh, you poor, poor little baby," she said sadly, as the Manticore showed her his paw, which had a large, wicked thorn plunged into the pad.

"_Little?!_" Rainbow Dash hissed in disbelief; Clover kicked backward lightly, hoof smacking into the Pegasi's foreleg, making her hiss and shake it out while giving the Alicorn a dirty look.

"Now," Fluttershy continued, voice soft and kind. "This might hurt for _just_ a second…" She leaned forward, grabbed the thorn with her teeth, and neatly plucked it out. The result was instantaneous, the Manticore jerking up and giving a humongous roar, right in the kind ponies face. Clover and the others shouted her name in alarm, before they could only watch, stupefied, as the Manticore went from giant rage-monster, to affectionate kitten in the blink of an eye, wrapping his paws around Fluttershy and repeatedly licking her face in gratitude, getting her to giggle light-heartedly and coo at him. Quickly, Clover and the others made their way past the now-docile critter, before waiting for Fluttershy to follow, mane mussed and sticking up from the Manticore's licking.

"How did you know about the thorn?" Twilight asked, impressed; Fluttershy just smiled as she made it to Clover's side.

"I didn't," she replied, still smiling. "Sometimes, we all just need to be shown a _little_ kindness." Clover smiled and reached up to help fix Fluttershy's mane.

"And Flutter's the kindest pony in Ponyville," the Alicorn informed Twilight warmly, before staying by her friends side as the seven ponies continued on through the creepy trees. Time passed with random bursts of conversation that quieted again under the foreboding shadows of the large, gnarled trees.

"Ugh!" Rarity finally exclaimed. "My eyes need a rest from all this icky muck!" Clover smiled and shook her head in amusement, which quickly dimmed as the treetops closed in, blocking out the moon and sky, as if agreeing with Rarity's complaint. "…I didn't mean that literally," she muttered; Clover had to bite back a hysterical giggle, feeling steadily more claustrophobic as the sky remained hidden. Twilight, obviously frustrated, began talking.

"That ancient ruin could be right in front of our faces, and we wouldn't even know it!" Rarity chimed in, then Pinkie, and soon, an argument broke out, everypony trying to distract themselves from the creepy trees around them. Fluttershy pressed into Clover's side, wings dragging as she crept along in a nervous crouch.

"I don't like this," she whimpered; Clover spread a wing out, over the Pegasi's back, and kept a lookout.

"Ugh, wait," Applejack suddenly said, from where she was at the front of the group (How did she get there? Wasn't she near the back just a couple minutes ago?) "Ah think Ah stepped in somethin'…" Fluttershy sat up, and then let out a terrified scream. "Its just _mud_," Applejack told her with a hint of exasperation, before she turned forward and almost ran into what looked like a demonic tree. Everypony froze and looked around; they were surrounded by snarling, nasty trees with huge fangs and clawed branches. Clover flared her wings, horn glowing, instinctively ready to defend herself and her friends as they screamed, tail-to-tail in a circle.

The sound of lighthearted laughter distracted them all though, and they turned to look towards it. Pinkie Pie was giggling and making faces at the nearest tree, which made Clover snort and shake her wings out, releasing her hold on her magic and settling back down.

"Pinkie, what are you doing?!" Twilight cried. "Run!" Pinkie, still giggling, looked over her shoulder at them all.

"Oh, fillies, don't you see?" She asked, grinning, and then, to Clovers and the others horrified amusement, began to _sing_.

_"When I was a little filly _

_And the sun was going down~!"_

"Tell me she isn't," Twilight said flatly; Pinkie did her not-quite-teleportation thing to appear in the air next to the Unicorn, to continue singing.

_"The darkness and the shadows, _

_They would always make me frown~"_

"She is," Clover and Applejack said at the same time.

_"I'd hide under my pillow,_

_From what I thought I saw!_

_But Granny Pie said that wasn't the way,_

_To deal with fears at all~!"_

"Then what is?" Rainbow demanded; Pinkie appeared in her face, smiling her bright, sweet smile

_"She said: 'Pinkie,_

_You gotta stand up tall!_

_Learn to face your fears~_

_You see the things can't hurt you_

_Just laugh to make them disappear~!'"_

She then proceeded to give the most ridiculously fake little "ha, ha, ha!" at one of the demonic trees, which had Clover snorting, before they all watched with surprise as, in a poof of pink smoke, the snarling face disappeared, leaving behind nothing but one of the normal, gnarly trees of the Everfree Forest. They gaped, some gasping in surprise. _That,_ Clover mused, stunned. _That is some **strange** Pinkie Pie Magic…_

_"SO~!_

_Giggle at the ghostly!_

_Guffaw at the grossly!_

_Crack up at the creepy!_

_Whoop it up with the weepy!_

_Chortle at the kooky!_

_Snortle at the spooky"_

While she sang, the other six ponies, Clover included, found themselves giggling and laughing and generally having fun, and the demonic faces continue to poof away, until Pinkie reached the crescendo of her song at a ridiculously fast pace that had Clover leaning on the ground on her forelegs, laughing hysterically.

"_And tell that big dumb scary face to take a hike and leave you alone,_

_And if he thinks he can scare you he's got another thing coming,_

_And the very **idea** of such a thing makes you wanna…_

_Hahahaha…heh…_

_Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh!" _

She ended her solo by collapsing on the ground with her friends in a hysterically laughing pile, and Clover managed to roll over to her and flop on the pink Mare's belly, giggling like crazy.

"I can't (giggle) b-believe you j-just (giggle) started r-randoml-ly s-s-singing, Pinkie!" She burst into laughter again as Pinkie curled around her, the two of them clutching onto one another as they laughed so hard their eyes watered, egging each other on without meaning to, like only friends could.

The entire group was still laughing when they started walking again, and would calm down, only for someone to set them all off, giggling and laughing so much they wheezed and almost tripped every few steps. The laughing stopped, however, when they reached a river, which had dangerous-looking waves and was rather wide across.

"How are we gonna cross this?!" Pinkie exclaimed, looking at the dangerous current with wide blue eyes. Before anyone could answer her, the sound of loud, dramatized sobbing broke through the air from nearby, and they immediately went to check it out (Clover bringing up the rear, in case it was a trap).

Peeking through the bushes, Clover and the others could only stare, eyes wide, at the large purple sea-serpent effectively throwing a tantrum, making the river impassible. He had a bright orange hairdo, with two thin yellow streaks at the front, and an orange mustache…

Or, well, half a mustache.

"Oh, what a world! What a world!" The sea-serpent wailed, slamming his fists into the water as he sobbed.

"Excuse me, sir," Twilight called as she led the group into the clearing before the serpent. "Why are you crying?" Clover gave her a sideways glance, and wondered how she could miss the obviously vain serpents half-gone mustache. It was literally right on his face.

"Well, I don't know!" The Serpent declared, gesturing flamboyantly with his hands, and sniffling delicately. "I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this… _Tacky_ little cloud of purple smoke, just whisked past me," here he slashed one of his hands through the air sharply before going on, "and tore half of my beloved _moostache_, clean off!" Clover blinked at his emphasis on 'mustache' and watched as he leaned down, pointing at the stub of hair left. "And now, I look_ simply **horrid**_!" He flung himself into the water with a dramatic cry, throwing an arm over his eyes and moaning about his "horrible" fate, soaking the seven of them with water as he sobbed.

…

Clover wondered, briefly, if sea-serpent tasted any good. She really didn't like being wet unless she had to be.

"Oh, give me a break," Rainbow hissed, irked. Applejack nodded with a disbelieving look.

"_That's_ what all the fuss is about?" Rarity, her hair once more perfectly groomed, lunged forward and shot the two of them vaguely horrified looks.

"Why _of course_ it is!" She cried, and moved quickly forward away from them, nose in the air. "_How_ can you be so_ insensitive_!?" She moved toward the sniffling sea-serpent, who was now resting his head on the bank. "Oh, just _look_ at him! Such lovely, luminescent _scales_!" She placed her hoof on the edge of his chin, and he sniffled.

"I know!" he replied, eyes opening to look at her hesitantly.

"And that _expertly_ coifed mane!" The serpent reared up, face brightening, and dragged his hand through his hairdo.

"I know, I _know_!" he agreed with a bright, pleased grin, primping under the fashion-obsessed Unicorn's praise.

"Your _fabulous_ manicure!" The serpent gasped in delight.

"It's _so true_!" he all but squealed, curling his fists into his cheeks and wriggling happily, eyes bright with vain joy.

"All ruined without your beautiful moostache," Rarity declared with a sympathetic frown; immediately, the serpent teared up again.

"It's true! _I'm _**_hideous_!**" He wailed, sobbing into his hands. Rarity's eyes gleamed with furious determination.

"I simply _cannot_ let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected!" she declared clearly. With a single step forward, she bit one of the serpent's purple scales, and plucked it right off his body, making his squeal in startled pain.

"What did you do that for?" he demanded, looking hurt; Rarity didn't answer. Instead, she lifted the dangerously sharp scale high in the air with all the grim resolution of a samurai.

"Rarity, what are you-!" Twilight started, but suddenly, the blade flashed through the air, and cut through its target as easy as a knife through butter. The sea-serpent cried out, and fell, head slumping onto the bank with a heavy thud. Clover and the other ponies could only stare, horror-struck, at Rarity.

Rarity, the most vain of them all, who was always put together and concerned about her looks…

And who had just cut off her long, meticulously groomed tail.

The unicorn primly threw the sharp scale away, and turned to her fallen tail, her horn glowing bright with magic as she lifted it up to the ragged stump of the unconscious sea-serpent's cut mustache. And, with a flare of magic, attached her tail to it, fixing his mustache…

As best was possible, considering the different colors, textures, and grooming her tail had compared to his own mane.

The sea-serpent blinked his eyes open when she was finished, and stared for a second, uncomprehending, until, with a gleeful cry, he reared up and threw his hands in the air.

"My _moostache_!" he cried jubilantly. "How _wonderful!_" He looked down at Rarity with such joyful, grateful eyes, and she smiled up at him proudly, obviously pleased that she had helped him.

"You look smashing," she told him as he continued to coo over his fixed mustache. Twilight walked towards her, expression still dumbfounded.

"Oh Rarity," she said unhappily, "your beautiful tail!" She looked sadly at the slightly-ragged inches that were all that was left of the once long and luxurious tail. Rarity glanced at it, and struggled to keep smiling, though her eyes were pinched unhappily.

"Oh, it's fine, my dear!" She told the group with a strained smile. "Short tails are in this season! Besides… It'll… Grow back." She tried to sound optimistic about it, making Clover and Twilight smile at the same time.

"So would the mustache," Rainbow muttered, eying the serpent with a protective sort of irritation; Clover couldn't help but agree, though she didn't say anything. Twilight smiled a bit, and then gasped in happy delight. The river was still and calm, and shallow, once more.

"Look! We can cross now!" Twilight declared, already nearly a third across, when she cried out, a loop of the sea-serpents body rising under her like a hill, and several more leading the rest of the way across, like stepping stones.

"Allow me," the sea-serpent declared with a bow, before he disappeared under water, creating the last hump before they reached the other side. Smiling, the group of seven nimbly jumped from loop to loop, making it safely across. Clover, the last one over, turned and tapped the last loop until he raised his head to smile at her.

"Thank you very much for helping us across, sir," she informed him with a smile. "I dislike getting wet unless I have to, so I, especially, appreciate it." He beamed brightly, and flapped a hand in a shooing motion.

"Oh, think nothing of it, my dear!" he declared with a bright smile. "It was the _least_ I could do after such a generous gift!" He caressed his fixed mustache, and then smiled pleasantly at Clover. "And, may I just say, you're stripes are just _fabulous_, my dear, and your _mane_!" He flailed his hands a bit. "How _do_ you get it so straight? I simply _must_ know!" Clover felt the fur on her face darken as she blushed, and sat, rubbing a hoof on her foreleg shyly.

"It's always been straight… Um… I don't really… Do… Well, anything to it, honestly…" He poked his lip out in an exaggerated pout and sighed dramatically.

"Some ponies get _all_ the luck," he declared, before smiling again and making a shooing motion. "You'll be left behind if you don't hurry, my dear!" He leaned up and waved after her as she squeaked and galloped after her friends. "Have fun, and do come back and visit me sometime!" Clover shook her head and smiled as she slowed down, once more with the group. Suddenly, she gave a laugh.

"What?" Rainbow asked her, confused; she snickered.

"I just remembered that the sea-serpent called Nightmare Moon tacky," she told the Pegasus, who stopped walking for a moment, before her face twisted and she burst out with a howl of laughter, Pinkie joining her just for the excuse of laughing, and Clover just grinned and chuckled for a few minutes while they continued on.

They walked unchallenged for several minutes, before they reached a clearing and saw something that had them all gasping.

"There it is!" Twilight said, as the seven of them took in the sight of the ruins that had once been the home of the Princesses of Equestria. "The ruin that holds the Elements of Harmony. We made it!" Clover tried to smile with her friends, but felt it swiftly fade into a small frown, her constantly down-turned ears pinning down farther as the same sense of foreboding she'd had at the party rose up again. _Something's not right…_ The ruins were still a ways off, but, before she could ask how far the others thought it was, Twilight was galloping towards it.

"Twilight!" Applejack called as the six ponies ran immediately after the enthusiastic Unicorn. "Wait for us!"

"We're almost there!" Twilight cried over her shoulder, voice jubilant…

Until she almost ran right off a cliff. Clover sped up with a sharp flap of her wings, lunging forward and grabbing the Unicorn's tail with her teeth, pulling her firmly back onto solid ground. Twilight remained sprawled on the ground, trembling faintly and panting, as the others reached them.

"What's with you and falling off cliffs today?" Rainbow asked teasingly, before they all peered down at the cliff. There had been a rope bridge, but somepony had either undone the other end, or it had snapped, because it was hanging limply from their side.

"Now what?" Pinkie cried; Rainbow Dash sent her a smirk.

"Duh," she said, fluttering her wings, before diving off the end of the cliff, rising over to the other end and half-disappearing through the mist. After several minutes, Clover frowned.

"What do you think is taking her so long?" She asked the others, rising up on her backhooves and trying to peer through the mists, eyes narrowed. Twilight frowned and used a bit of magic to clear away some of the cloud cover.

"Rainbow!" She called. "What's taking so long?" Suddenly, they were able to see three strange Pegasi talking to Rainbow Dash, dressed awfully like the Aerobatics team she loved. "Oh no," the Unicorn murmured, and shouted their friend's name, but the clouds thickened unnaturally, muffling her voice and removing their line of sight once more. Clover scowled and, rearing up, began to beat her wings as hard as she could, quickly kicking up a powerful wind, which fought against the magic in the clouds. Flutter helped, her weaker wings flapping as hard as she could make them. Abruptly, the magic disappeared, and the clouds were slept swiftly away, just as Rainbow Dash appeared and struck a pose amongst relieved laughter and cheers.

"See?" The Pegasus declared as the group crossed the bridge. "I'd _never_ leave my friends hangin'!" Clover flew into the air after her, and sent the two of them into a gentle barrel roll by hugging the other Pegasus.

"Now if only you spent more time hanging out with us instead of napping," she teased, getting a laugh from the cyan Mare as they continued onward. It was a steady, rocky incline up to the ruins of the old castle, and the door creaked ominously while it opened. Inside the main room, was a large fountain-like structure, which had five thin concrete "arms" holding five strange stone spheres, that all had different symbols on them.

The Elements of Harmony.

"Come on, Twilight," Applejack urged the Unicorn forward. "Ain't this what you been waitin' for?" Twilight stepped forward, staring up at the fountain.

"The Elements of Harmony," she declared with a breathless tone. "We found them!" Immediately, Clover set to helping Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash retrieve the strange, stone, orbs and set them on the ground, Fluttershy straining the most under the surprisingly heavy weight.

"One, two, three, four," Pinkie counted off, and then turned to Twilight in confusion. "There's only five!"

"Where's the sixth?" Rainbow Dash demanded. The whole group gathered around the five orbs in confusion, and waited for Twilight's reply.

"The book said, _'when the Five are present, a spark will cause the Sixth Element to be revealed'_," Twilight quoted, staring down at the orbs in concentration.

"What'n the hay is that supposed to mean?" Applejack asked, slightly frustrated.

"I'm not sure, but I have an idea," Twilight reassured her, laying down in front of the Elements. "Stand back," she told them; they obeyed without hesitation. "I don't know what will happen." Her horn began to glow and the air filled with magic.

"Come on now, y'all," Applejack said quietly, and began to lead them out of the room. "She needs to concentrate." Clover hesitated, then decided to stay behind.

"Nightmare Moon is still around," she reminded them quietly. "I'd feel better knowing that somepony was watching her flank. I'll stay behind, you ponies keep an eye out, okay?" They nodded in agreement, and left the room. Clover crept over and crouched a little ways behind the Unicorn, watching her work.

Before she could do much, however, a familiar sky-mimicking mist slithered over and began to spin around the orbs.

"Twilight!" Clover shout, and lunged forward when the Unicorn did, into the large vortex. A flash of light, and the brief feeling of not having enough air, and the two of them were smacking into the hard ground, coughing. Menacing laughter had them looking up in time to watch Nightmare Moon pull one of her dramatic lightning shows, the Element's hovering around her. Twilight glared, and lowered her head, horn facing the larger Mare, and Clover bit back a curse, shifting a little behind her and off to the side, but copying the same position. They kicked their front hooves, much like a bull about to charge.

"You're kidding," Nightmare said flatly. "You're kidding, right?" Magic enveloped Twilight's horn, and Clover's was quick to follow, the two magics rising and shining brightly as the two friends began their charge towards the dangerous Alicorn. Nightmare Moon lowered her head with narrowed eyes, and charged at them, not even bothering to summon her own magic. Clover narrowed her eyes and slowed down the tiniest bit, arching her wings forward in front of her awkwardly, and waiting for the best moment. Twilight's horn glowed into a ball as they closed the distance between them and, just before Nightmare and the Unicorn would have crashed, Twilight disappeared, and Clover slammed her wings back, launching herself forward with three times her previous speed, horn glowing sickly green as she collided with the startled Alicorn, sending the two of them flying off to the side.

Twilight had teleported to the unprotected Elements, and shook her dizziness away, before focusing as much magic as she could into the stones. Clover rose as Nightmare Moon snarled, and would have leapt once more at the older Alicorn, desperate to create a distraction for her friend, but the Mare lashed out with her sky-mimicking tail, and sent the young Alicorn flying even as Nightmare teleported herself to Twilight. Clover tried to speak, tried to shout a warning, but the blow had been too strong and the young Alicorn slammed into the unforgiving stone of a broken pillar, making it rock dangerously before it stilled. She hit the ground, and everything when black.

Clover looked around her, confused as to why she was standing, when she'd just been thrown across the room like an Accio'd toy, before she looked down and blanched. She wasn't standing. She was lying in a broken heap at the foot of the pillar, blood slowly beginning to pool from a nasty cut on her head, and dripping softly from her mouth. She looked up as Nightmare Moon sent Twilight flying, but not as badly as Clover had. Watched as the dark Alicorn crushed the Element's designated orbs, laughing all the time.

_"Greetings and Salutations, Dearest,"_ a familiar voice whispered through her mind, and Clover looked away from where Twilight had been joined by the rest of their friends. Marwolaeth was in a different form than Clover was used to. She wore the body of an Earth Mare, skeletal and with a coat the color of bone. Bottomless holes sat where her eyes were meant to be, and her smile was filled with unnatural piranha teeth. Her mane and tail were the same spun spider-silk, hanging about her in a wispy, ratty mess, strands swaying in a non-existent breeze. Curling around her form was a black cloak made of shadows, and around her neck was a pretty, silver chain, with a long tail that, as Clover followed, led to the currently-dead Alicorn's flank…

Where there now rested the familiar, black symbol of the Deathly Hallows.

_"This one is most pleased that thou hast finally earned back thy full power,"_ Marwolaeth all but cooed as Clover turned a bit to watch as each of her friends were named a True Wielder of the Element that suited them most._ "This one and this one's family made sure that thou woulds't remain this one's Master, and all that doth entail. Worry not, Dearest. You will revive soon…"_ Marwolaeth brushed her muzzle against Clovers cheek, and disappeared into the young Mare's shadow, where Clover continued to feel her Presence. Clover watched in silence, a frown curling her lips downward, as her friends used their new powers to defeat Nightmare Moon, banishing the corrupted entity and revealing the Princess Luna, who's mane was now a short and solid dark sapphire, her coat a night-sky blue instead of Void-black, and her eyes no longer slit-pupil'd, but instead a soft cyan blue. Her cutie mark was a black splotch with a white crescent moon, representing the night.

Clover had, honestly, hoped that the Deathly Hallows would have been left, and she wouldn't have to deal with the responsibility until she died. But, apparently, her life thus far in Equestria had been akin to a vacation and, now that she had died, it was back to work. She watched, absently, as a large, beautiful white Alicorn, with a long mane made up of thick streaks of cobalt blue, magenta, and a sea-foam green, appeared before her friends, and the sun rose, which meant that the new comer was the Princess Celestia. Her eyes shifted between the colors of her mane, depending on the lighting, but were most often magenta. She watched as the beautiful Alicorn greeted Clovers friends, even hugging Twilight. Then she went and confronted the Princess Luna, and exposed the fact that they were in actuality sisters. The two were reunited, and Clover smiled faintly, and sat next to her body. Once the two stopped hugging, Twilight's eyes went huge and she shouted Clover's name. Clover watched as her friends' rushed to her side, trying desperately to wake her, and began crying. Princess Luna looked like she was going to cry too, and Celestia looked deeply sad. After a second, she watched her body's flank glow, and the Deathly Hallows symbol come into being. As soon as it did, she felt her spiritual body vibrate, and blinked as her friends gasped, staring at her with mouths agape. She coughed into her hoof, and smiled at them hesitantly.

"Um… Hi?" She waved uncertainly, and glanced at her body, grimacing. "I… Think my specialty has something to do with the dead," she said, uncomfortably looking away. She rubbed her hoof on her foreleg, and pinned her ears firmly against her neck, tilting her head to hide in her mane. "Um… I'm just going to… Yeah…" She reached over and put her hoof on her body's shoulder, and, in a flash of green light, took an abrupt, deep breath and sat up, life-threatening injuries healed but superficial wounds remaining. She spent several moments coughing, and then choking from the crushing hugs her friends gave her, crying and babbling about how happy they were she was alive, and how worried they'd been, and how she was never,_ ever_ allowed to do that _ever_ again because it had been _very_ scary. She patted them on the back and sent the two Princesses a pleading look, prompting Celestia to clear her throat gently, smiling at the seven young Mares before her as they finally broke apart (Though Pinkie and Fluttershy stayed pressed against her sides.

"It has been a very long time, since an Alicorn has been born, and not made," the regal Sun Princess said calmly. "The last one was our great grandfather, thousands of years ago, who has since passed on. There has also never been an Alicorn who presided over the dead, in all my long memory." She leaned down onto her forelegs, and pressed her white muzzle against Clover's black, the blood that was drying there tacky and gross, but went unnoticed as Princess Celestia smiled warmly. "Welcome to the family, little cousin," she said, before pulling back and rising to her feet. With a bow of her head, her horn glowed brightly, and there was a sudden weight behind Clover's horn that had not been there before, and her friends gasped, looking at it. Clover reached up with a trembling hoof, and pulled the thing off to stare at it.

It was a crown, small like the black one hidden partially in Luna's mane, only this one was an off-white, like aging bone, and it felt similar as well. She looked up at Celestia with a dumbfounded expression that got a warm smile, and didn't even blink as Pinkie snatched the crown out of her hoof and put it back on her head, Fluttershy immediately straightening her hair around it.

"You are now Princess Clover Breeze, Guardian of the Dead," she declared, and her voice rang with power. Something clicked in Clovers chest, and her new cutie mark glowed brightly, making her look back at it. It had darkened and broadened, and surrounding it was now a circle of bone-white, further symbolizing her new status. Still dumbstruck, Clover could only open and shut her mouth a few times, before turning wide green eyes on her equally stunned friends. After a moments of silence, she spoke up, blinking away her shock.

"…You're not all going to bow to me, are you?" she asked, eyes narrowing. "Because I'm honestly not comfortable with that in any way, shape, or form. Also!" She turned her gaze to Celestia, and hesitated, ears pinning back as she rubbed her hoof against her foreleg unconsciously. "I don't have to leave Ponyville, do I?" she asked with a pleading look. "I was born and raised here, it's home, and I don't want to leave my family or friends…" Celestia smiled gently, and even Luna gave her a small, hesitant smile, though she still looked guilty.

"You do not have to leave, little cousin," the older Princess soothed. "I only ask that you come to Canterlot when there is an important meeting, and I will inform you of those a week ahead of time so you can make arrangements." Clover slumped in relief, and beamed.

"Wonderful," she murmured, and Celestia laughed softly, straightening to her full height, and smiling down at them.

"Tonight has been filled with wondrously good things," she declared, smiling at them all. "My most faithful and loyal student has discovered true friendship, Nightmare Moon was defeated, and the Elements are once more in the hands of good ponies." She turned her head and smiled lovingly down at Luna. "I have gotten my sister back, and have gained a cousin as well." She sent Clover a smile, before it shifted into the slyest of smirks, magenta eyes moving to Pinkie. "I think that all these good things call for something special, don't you, Miss Pie?" Pinkie blinked, and then gave an almighty squeal of delight.

"A PARTY!"

Celestia let out a sweet laugh and her horn glowed, and the nine of them disappeared from the ruined castle, appearing instead on the outskirts of Ponyville, which was already in mid-celebration for the Summer Sun Festival. _Was that still today?_ Clover thought, watching Pinkie zoom ahead to spread the news of a specific party needing to be had, while the rest of them walked contentedly along, admiring all the decorations and the happiness surrounding them.

"Oh dear," Fluttershy said next to her, and Clover turned her head to find the Pegasus looking over her wounds with deep concern. She smiled at her best friend and shook her blood-matted mane out of her way.

"It's just a head-wound, Flutter," she soothed, smiling at her. "They always bleed a lot, so it looks a lot worse than it is."

"Even so," the pale gold Pegasus said with a quietly determined voice. "You are going straight to the hospital from here, or you'll be in trouble, missy!" Clover gaped while Luna, who was closest, giggled quietly into her hoof.

"Yes, ma'am," she finally said, and just smiled as Fluttershy nodded her head, chin raised a bit, and trotted forward to walk next to Rarity. Luna shifted, and Clover instinctively turned her head to look up at her new cousin.

"I am… Sorry," the dark Alicorn told her in a soft voice, shamefaced. "For hurting you so badly." Clover blinked, then smiled and waved it away.

"It's alright," she replied easily. "You weren't in your right mind, and we were fighting. Besides," she nudged her shoulder against the taller Mares, ignoring the twinge that shot through the bruises there. "We're family now, aren't we?" Luna blinked, surprised, before she smiled quietly to herself.

"Yes," she murmured in reply. "Yes, we are." They reached Ponyville, where a Royal Carriage was waiting, with the four identical looking Pegasi (who weren't really identical, Twilight confided in Clover, but who wore a magic armor when on duty, that made them look that way. It was to prevent personal vendettas from happening, or distraction by family and friends.). Ponies cheered and then quieted. As one, all the ponies bowed, Clovers friend included, which made her uncomfortable but she made a point of not twitching. Once they were all upright once more, four Pegasus foals flew forward with two flower wreaths, one in reds and whites, which was placed around Luna's neck, and the other in blues and oranges, which Clover found around her neck, to her befuddlement. Merriment ensued, and Clover glanced up at Celestia and Luna, before nodding and making her way through the crowd towards the hospital.

"Clovah!" Her father's voice cried, seconds before she was lifted straight off her hooves in a crushing hug, grunting as her bruises were pressed on harshly.

"Oh, Zendo, put her down!" Her mother's voice cried. "She needs to go to the hospital, not be scooped off the ground like a foal!" Her hooves touched the street, before her mother's forelegs were around her neck, and she could feel tears dropping onto her coat. "Oh, Clover, don't you ever, _ever_ scare us like that again, young Mare, or I swear on every recipe my family knows, I'll… I'll! I'll ground you until you're my age, I _swear_ it!" Clover immediately wrapped her forelegs around her mother's neck, and whispered 'sorry' over and over and over again, the fact that she had died, had almost left the happiness she had gained here, behind finally seeking in, and leaving the taste of ashes in her mouth. She heard her little brother's voice, and felt him wrap himself around one of her free hind legs, and pulled one of her forelegs down to press him close, closing her eyes tightly as her father's strong forelegs wrapped around them all, and provided a strong sense of safety, love, and family.

Distantly, she could hear Celestia making some sort of Decree, and the crowd of waiting ponies cheering, but, at the moment, she honestly couldn't give a hay.

**A/N:** Ta-Da! Yes, I changed some things. The last scene of these episodes confused me. Luna and Celestia show up in Ponyville via carriage, and the rest of the Mane 6 are there already, except Twilight who apparently road with the Princesses, and everything looks like a party for them all at a later time, but Spike acts like it's the same day and he woke up to find them all gone only for them to show up and he hugs Twilight…

This show has plot holes in it.

ALSO!

Where was Celestia even being held? I mean, she's older and therefore, logically, should be stronger than Nightmare Moon/Luna, so she would have been able to overpower any spell Moon used to cage her somewhere, but then she showed up moments after the Elements beat Nightmare Moon, unscathed and apparently at full-power?

PLOT HOLES UGH

ANYwho…

Leave any questions, comments, or concerns in a review, and I'll see to them next chapter! Remember, the story is Gen at the moment, though I will take any and all SUGGESTIONS into account!

And no, Big Macintosh can NOT be paired with Clover. I love the guy, honestly, but at the moment, Clover is, like, 13-to-14 years old, and he's in his mid-20s! So, no, that's just…

NO.

...

And neither is Fluttershy, on that matter! They're just going to have a sweet Bromance going on.

However, thoughts of Fluttershy/Smoky Mark?

Also, a bit of a Vocab explanation!

_**VOCABULARY!**_

**Foal:** Baby Pony (Age 0-13)

**Filly:** Young/Baby Girl Pony (Ages 0-13)

**Colt:** Young/Baby Boy Pony (Ages 0-13)

**Mare:** Adult/Mature Female Pony (Ages 13-Onward)

**Stallion:** Adult/Mature Male Pony (Ages 13-Onward)

**Earth Pony:** Regular Pony with a connection to Nature, which gives them a longer life (Average = 200 yrs)

**Unicorn:** Pony with a unicorn horn, ability to do magic. Weaker in body because they rely strongly on their magic (Average life = 150, unless very connected to their magic, in which case they can live longer)

**Pegasus:** Pony with wings, ability to fly and control weather. Shortest lifespan (Average = 100 years). If Pegasus loses ability to fly, they will lose their will to live, and deteriorate quickly.

**Alicorn:** Pony with Unicorn horn and magic, Pegasus wings, and Earth Body strength. Basically immortal, but can be killed (Just not by age or sickness)

**Zebra (My Beliefs):** Stripes, slightly magical Earth Pony with about half the strength. Lifespan, based on this, would be between 150 and 200 years old. Mystical abilities. Cutie Marks are always line-work instead of pictures like most ponies.

Thank you for Reviewing, and remember, send in your questions!

**Q&A!**

**(A/N:** A majority of these questions were asked by the lovely Reviewer, RivalAdmirer21, who sent me the longest review I've had on this fic, yet! ^-^ Thank you, Reviewer!**)**

**Q: Why does Marwolaeth adore Harry so much? Is it because he's the Master of Death, or is she just lonely?**

A: A bit of both, but also not. When you're a sentient being of power, like Death, new things are a wonderful happenstance, and rare to occur. After all, if you've been around for millions of years, you're going to get rather bored. It helps that Harry treats her like a person, and doesn't take advantage of his Title.

**Q: The five other worlds were Temeraire, Yu-Gi-Oh, Rise of the Guardians, X-Men/Avengers, and the Addams Family, right?**

A: Clove! Instead of Avengers/X-Men, it was more Gotham City and the like. Very good guesses, though!

**Q: Is Filbert Discord? Or is Discord a creation of Filberts?**

A: Filbert is Chaos, Creator of Discord.

**Q:** **Isn't Gilda the name of the Griffon Rainbow Dash is friends with?**

A: Yes, she is, but I couldn't find a more appropriate name for Luck than "covered with gold" so (Shrugs)

**Q:** **Is Applesauce a cousin or Aunt of Applejacks?**

A: Yeah, in a way. Granny Smith is her Grandma's sister, so their, like, second or third cousins. I figured, since the family was so damn big, an OC member would fit right in because, I mean, Applesauce COULD be a Canon Character, for all we know, right? Lolz.

**Q:** **What is a gyroscope?**

A: "A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. Mechanically, a gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disc in which the axle is free to assume any orientation." - Wikipedia

My Version - It's this metal ring, with two slightly-smaller metal rings inside it, that turn in different directions, according to the rotator thingamajig in the very center. You can look pictures of it up on Google Images, and there's a video or three about them on You Tube.

**Q:** **Was the "strange pony decked out in a facemask, apron, and gloves" startled because Clover Breeze was born an Alicorn?**

A: Yes. And that pony was the doctor, just FYI, lolz.

**Q:** **Pictures?**

A: On my profile, there are now two Fanart Pictures I created, showing Clover Breeze/Harry with her new family, and a picture of Mrs. Rye. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO CREATE MORE FANART, SEND ME LINK'S VIA PM and I will post them on my Profile!

**Q:** **Will you go into more history and culture of the Zebras?**

A: Yep!

**Q:** **The scene where Clover meets Zeb for the first time, and she "pressed her black muzzle to his with a gentle nuzzle", I thought Clover was green with black stripes on her back? Am I missing something?**

A: The Fanart will show you a better description of Clover, no worries.

**Q: Does Juniper Rye have a Southern Accent?**

A: Yes, a Southern Belle accent to be precise. Think those older, western movies (or Wild, Wild West with Will Smith, lolz) Where people say things like "I do Recall" and such.

**Q:** **Why did Juniper introduce herself as "Mrs" though?**

A: Because she was married at one point, and when you get married, you lose your Miss and become a Mrs. (Ms. is more for professionalism than anything, and to be polite if you're speaking with an older, non-married lady)

**Q: Is Clover Breeze a pre-teen or a teenager?**

A: Hmm, well, the best way I can see this is that, in human years (basically), the Mane Six would be between fourteen and sixteen (I have a bit of a head-cannon that says Applejack is the oldest but idk if that's true…)

So, Clover would be about thirteen, almost fourteen.

**Q: Is Clover going to get anymore siblings?**

A: If she does, it'll be later in the fic. My headcannon is ponies only get pregnant once every seven-or-so years, to prevent over-population, and to give their foals a chance to grow a bit more and be a bit more independent, so that the parents can turn more attention to the new foal, but not neglect the first one.

Does this make sense?

**Q:** **Are the gold rings/bracelets a symbol of adulthood or a rite of maturity?**

A: Yes, I believe so. I think Zebra's start getting their gold rinds when they hit puberty, like some African tribes/cultures, to show that they are now "Women" or in this case "Mares". When they reach full adulthood (Like 18 years old for us), then they get their neck rings. Also, I believe they get the males get an ear piercing when they get their cutie mark, but the females get their piercing only after they've gotten their neck rings.

This is all my personal Headcannon's, though. You can make your own if you don't agree.

**Q: When is Clover Breeze going to get her cutie mark?**

A: Ta-Da

**Q:** **What will it be?**

A: You saw it this chapter. Also, up until the point Clover gets her Cutie Mark, the Master of Death powers are dormant. By getting the symbol, they "wake up"

**Q:** **Will anyone attempt to bully Clover because she's different, since people always pick on those who look/talk/are different?**

A: I'd answer this, but it's a spoiler (The cutie mark was spoiled in the Fanart, so it didn't really matter as a question anyway (Shrugs))

**Q:** **How will she act towards Discord, Nightmare Moon, and the Changeling Queen?**

A: Spoiler Question, lolz

**Q:** I**s the Soup & Rye an original creation? (As in, it doesn't exist in cannon?)**

A: Yes. I couldn't believe that such a large town got all it's food from that one fancy restaurant, the Apple Clan, and the Sugarcube Corner, so I made a lunch/early dinner place.

**Q:** **Were the curious customers there to get a look at Clover because she wasn't Mint Leaf, or because she's an Alicorn?**

A: Both. Ponies are curious about new people (from what I've seen so far in my information-gathering-cough-show-watching binges). The fact that Clover is a new face would normally be enough to get most curious, but add into the fact that she has an unusual appearance and that she's an Alicorn, who are seen as Royalty, and suddenly everyone wants to know who she is. (It was good for business, at least, lolz)

**Q: Zendo used Mrs. Rye's situation to get Clover to go out and make friends and stuff?**

A: Yep

**Q: They really thought Clover is a Princess? And so, were overly friendly?**

A: Yes. Though, ponies are usually friendly when meeting new people anyways, but they also wanted to meet the "Exotic Alicorn" so, there you go!

**Q:** **Is the Mane Six going to be the Mane Seven now?**

A: No, Clover will be friends with them, and probably run into their problems with them occasionally, but, remember: Clover is only in Equestria because she wants some peace. She'll help when she's around, but she'll be doing other things. This is HER story, not the Mane Six's.

(Also, I've noticed a reoccurring theme in the MLP x-overs that seems to be "Introduce this character, and they become friends with the Mane Six/member of the Mane Six's love interest, w/e" and it's getting kind of cliché, so, she'll help them out occasionally, but this is HER story.)

**[Edit:** Better way to describe would be She's the Mane Seven only when absolutely necessary and that won't be too often**]**

(And that's the end of Rival's questions, except one, which will be expanded on after the Q&A)

**Q:** **Will Clover be friends with Luna & Co.?**

A: Haven't really decided yet. I know she'll like Princess Luna (And Nightmare Moon to a certain extent) because she's the daughter of an Astrologist, and those late nights spent with her father out on the deck of their home, learning the names of the stars, are precious too her, so she'll at least LIKE the MPD-Mare. Not sure who you mean by "Co." but there's a half-answer for you...?

**Q: I thought being a Royalty was more of a status than a birthright?**

A: Okay, so according to the MLP Wiki, Princess is a designation that's earned, not given, but, though each princess has specific roles in pony society, all it really means is 'being a good pony that shares the gifts that they have been given with others'. All the Alicorns in the show were either born that way, or were granted the Alicorn powers, and thus became princesses.

That's it.

So, everypony who sees an Alicorn, who are ONLY EVER SEEN AS ROYALTY, assumes Clover is an exotic Princess from some other part of their world.

(I honestly think there's a flaw in this system, because, who decides you get to become an Alicorn? The Alicorns. What do you have to share, what gifts? Does it mean sharing your damn presents, or your powers, or your thoughts? Does it mean you're willing to give up your magic, or your wings, or your strength?

UGH

I haven't gotten to the episode where Twilight becomes an Alicorn (Spoiler?) yet in my research! I know she does (It's on the Wiki page, people), but HOW, WHY, WHAT DID SHE GIVE UP?!)

…

(Don't tell me. I will be irritated. I want to see it for myself, thank you)

Thank's for the reviews!

**_ALICORN GENETICS AND HOW CLOVER CAN BE AN ALICORN:_**

Okay, my reviewer, SailorNova007, explained the physiology of the Alicorn to me a bit more.

The Alicorn is made up of all three Pony Clans.

The Strength of an Earth Pony

The Wings and flight of a Pegasus Pony

And the Magic of the Unicorn Pony

All of this, and then throw in damn-near-immortality and you get an Alicorn.

Another reviewer, RivalAdmirer21, speculated that the Unicorn and Pegasus genes were Dominant in a Pegasi/Unicorn pairing. This would make the likelihood of an Earth Pony born from such a union highly unlikely.

This would also explain why a naturally-born Alicorn would be very rare, as even if two Alicorns had foals, the possibility of Alicorn or Earth Pony foals would be low, while Unicorn or Pegasus foals would be high.

This makes Princess Celestia AND Luna, who were born to the same ALICORN parents, a genetic miracle, in a way.

Now, Mint Leaf is a Pegasus, and Zendo a Zebra. Zebra's are a form of Earth Pony, but have a bit of magic in them that most Earth Ponies don't have (Earth Ponies have magic in the form of their connection to Nature, thus giving them naturally longer lives out of the three Clans, and their higher strength). Zebra's tend to have almost mystical powers, though, which give them a bit of an edge.

Mint Leaf's father is a Pegasus, and her mother is a Unicorn. Mint Leaf and Basil are Pegasi, and her other brother, Parsnip, is a Unicorn. This leads me to believe that the Pegasus genome is more dominant than the Unicorn genome, which would make it the more recessive gene of the two. However, in the case of Mint Leaf and Zendo, this should have meant that most of the children they would have, would automatically be Pegasi. According to my research, this would mean that, out of, say, ten children, they would have seven Pegasi, two Unicorn, and MAYBE one Earth Pony.

This, however, was not the case.

Now, the explanation for Clover would be that, the dominant Pegasi gene interacted with the magic in the Zebra/Earth Pony gene, which awoke the recessive Unicorn gene. However, the Zebra Gene is also a dominant gene, but the extra magic of the gene would interact with the Unicorn gene's magical properties, and make that one more "aggressive".

The Earth Pony genome, however, is still a portion of the Zebra Gene, and would be recessive, giving the other genes something to build around.

And so, you get Clover, the Zebra-striped, Pegasus winged, unicorn, with the body of an Earth Pony but none of the strength.

This would also explain the severe lack of naturally born Alicorn's, as you'd practically have to have the damn stars align for it to happen (Though it DOES happen. Just, like, one out of a trillion)

As for Zeb being more Zebra than anything else, this would be explained by the magic in the Zebra genome interacting once more with the Unicorn Genome, but the recessive Earth Pony genome in the Zebra gene, would act as a stepping-stone in this case, pushing the Zebra gene to the front of the race, as it were.

And thus, Zeb came into existence.

SEE, I CAN BE SMART!

(Note: all of this is speculation on my part based off of my own characters and the random genetic information I've retained from my self-studies. None of it is fact or canonical knowledge, just some harmless fun)


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Here's the next chapter!

**Q&A** at the bottom!

Enjoy!

**Fields of Thyme**

_**Chapter Three:**_

_Royal Obligations_

"Okay, Zeb, are you ready?" Clover asked her little brother, smiling at the Zebra-colt's determined little frown, his tongue peeking out in concentration as he nodded. She put her hooves over his, and gently helped him stir the small pot of stew while the other workers and their mother smiled indulgently at the two of them. Several customers could be found consistently passing by the little window and cooing softly at the picture the two made, flour spattered and wearing matching blue aprons with the Soup & Rye logo on them, Clover hovering gently behind Zeb, who was standing on several cookbooks piled on top of a stepstool, just so he could see over the top of the pot.

"Just like that, Zeb," Clover coached warmly. "Nice and steady, so the vegetables don't stick to the bottom. You're doing great!" The colt beamed up at her, blue eyes bright, before he quickly turned back to the food, his topknot brushing Clovers nose and making her lean away with a giggle. "I'm going to let go of your hooves now, okay?" He nodded.

"Yes, sistah," he answered, their father's accent coming easily from his mouth. Clover counted to three, and let go, rising farther into the air to watch him.

"Very good, Zeb!" she cried, and the little Zebra beamed proudly as he continued to carefully stir the stew.

"Good job you two!" Mint Leaf called warmly as she passed, gently running a hoof over Zeb's head lovingly, before continuing back to help the newest member of the Soup & Rye workforce, a pale blue Pegasus Stallion with a short, spiky purple mane and tail, with bright red eyes and a cutie mark in the shape of a cloud-shaped umbrella. His name was Wind Stream, and he was the same age as Clover's mother. Clover didn't like him much, despite his kind smiles and ways, mostly because he was constantly trying to get a date out of her mother despite knowing she was married. Her mother told her that it was just how he was, and not to worry, but Clover worried anyways, because he didn't flirt with every pretty Mare like the flirts did. Just _her_ mother, and that made her leery of him. It was probably because she was the only Pegasus on staff or something, but she still didn't like it.

"Okay, Zeb," she said as she checked the time, fluttering down to stand beside him, and lift him off his book tower, a flare of her horn turning the stove to a love simmer. "Silver Wheat will deal with the rest of it. It's time for _you_ to go to Foal-Care." Zeb immediately whined as Clover carried him on her head, his little back hooves hanging on either side of her face while his forelegs wrapped around her horn and bone-crown.

"Ah don't be wantin' to go, sistah!" he cried, tearing up as Clover carried him over to their mother to say goodbye. "Mama, tell sistah Ah don't be needin' to go!" Mint Leaf smiled softly and kissed his forehead, pressing their muzzles together affectionately.

"I'm sorry, Zeb, but you have to go," she told him, making him start to cry. "Oh, Zeb, don't cry! You know you can't stay here, we won't be able to watch you properly and you could get hurt! And with your father visiting his mother in Zefrica while she's sick means you can't stay with him. I'm working here and Clover has to get ready to go to her inauguration party in Canterlot today, so you _have_ to go to Foal-Care." Clover grimaced a bit at the reminder of _that_ bit of idiocy. _Apparently_, since she had been made a Princess, it was one of her _duties_ to meet the Foreign Embassies and Ambassadors, as well as Princess Cadance, the only other Alicorn currently in existence. And she had to be dressed _'appropriately for a pony of her status_', more because the other dignitaries expected it than because it was the dress code.

Thankfully, Rarity had been more than willing to provide, and had even taken her request for nothing too girly or dress-like with an accepting, if pouty, nod. She'd taken Clover's measurements, and rushed her out the door. After Clover dropped Zeb off at Foal-Care, she was off to the Carousel Boutique to get fitted, and then a Royal Chariot would pick her up at the town square.

Clover smiled as her mother kissed her temple, and then brushed muzzles with her, before the Alicorn lifted into the air and flew out the door, a still-sniffling Zeb clinging to her horn and crown.

"Come now," she said, slipping into her father's accent with ease. "What you be cryin' for? You be getting to play wit' de odder foals yah age! An' while you be doin' dat, Ah get's to be walkin' about in silly shoes an' talkin' to ponies who don't know what fun was if it be hittin' dem in de nose!" Zeb sniffled and shifted on her head as the Foal-Care building came into view. Clover landed gently, but Zeb refused to be put down, stubbornly clinging to her horn even as his Foal-Sitter came out, an older Unicorn Mare with a bruise-purple coat, curled gray mane held back in a messy bun, and glasses perched on her muzzle that showed off her soft, kind purple eyes. She smiled at the sight of them, the afternoon sun glinting off the two tulips that made up her cutie mark (one pink, the other orange).

"His first day at Foal-Care," she asked with a knowing smile, and Clover nodded sheepishly. With a soft chuckle, the Unicorns horn glowed, and Zeb was lifted into the air, Clovers crown still in his hooves as the older Mare moved him. She gently separated the crown from his hooves, even as he began to cry and reach for Clover, making the Alicorn tear up even as her crown was placed on her head once more.

"The first day is always the worst," the Mare reassured her kindly, patting her on the shoulder as she sniffled, and Zeb was levitated into the hooves of a much younger Mare waiting at the doors, who immediately carried him inside, the door shutting behind her. Clover sat on her hunches and slumped dejectedly. She _hated_ seeing Zeb cry… The Mare once more patted her shoulder, bid her good day, and went inside, where the sound of squealing, giggling foals burst out, until the door shut behind her, silencing the area once more.

"That was worse than I thought it would be," she muttered, and, with a sad sigh, she glumly flapped her wings and lifted into the air to make her way to Rarity's shop.

"Clover, _Dahling_!" The Unicorn cried as soon as the Alicorn touched down in front of her store. There was a white-and-indigo blur as Clover found herself unceremoniously rushed and dragged into the shop, all the while trying to decipher the fashion-dictionary that Rarity seemed to be quoting without the handy laymen's definitions, as the Unicorn described all the different styles, cuts, and colors she had tried and decided against, before Clover found herself behind a modesty curtain, and yelped as she was pushed, prodded, wrapped and, on one occasion, _pricked_ when a needle shifted wrong. With a whirl, she was revealed, blinking rapidly at the mirror she suddenly found herself standing in front of.

Rarity had refrained from making her something too girly, or gaudy, and it wasn't _really_ a dress, more of a stylish cloak. It was a charcoal gray, with silver markings that mimicked Clover's Zebra-stripes. Her hooves were wrapped in delicate silver shoes, with a single onyx stone gleaming in the center of curling, vine-like designs, two tiny emeralds sitting on either side of the black stone. Her crown had somehow been polished, the semi-aged bone look becoming something ominous yet beautiful, and her hair was pulled back for once by a black ribbon tied in a neat bow at the base of her skull. Turning her head, Clover watched her restrained mane fall over her shoulder, and found it braided in what the Alicorn had heard was called a "fish-tail" braid, and was held together at the bottom bit another black ribbon, this one much smaller.

Clover swallowed, looking over herself with wide eyes, taking in the way her stripes seemed to meld into the cloak, and turn into the silver stripes on the fabric, her pale green coat standing out and shimmering in health from whatever Rarity had managed to spray her with in the whirlwind that had been her dressing. The large black ribbon stood out in a way that reminded Clover of little Apple Bloom's own ribbon, and, with her braid over her shoulder, her bone-crown standing out against her ribbon, and her relatively modest silver shoes gleaming gently, she looked refined, classic, and yet…

"Beautiful," she murmured, and, much to her embarrassment, she found herself blinking away tears, turning a wide smile on the proudly smiling Rarity. "Thank you so much, Rarity," she told the Unicorn, who waved it away with a hoof, looking over her work with a critical eye.

"Think nothing of it, dear," she said easily. "It was a challenge, and I do so _relish_ a fashion challenge!" Clover believed that, and more, but just hugged the Unicorn tightly. The sound of her ride as it landed in the town square had her pulling away, and Rarity escorted her out.

"Now remember, dear," Rarity began airily as they moved toward the awaiting Royal Chariot, the two identical Pegasi pulling it looking just as stern and unapproachable as always. "Should anypony ask, you get all of your outfits from the Carousel Boutique in Ponyville, by Rarity, understand?" Clover couldn't help but grin as she carefully stepped up into the chariot.

"Provide free advertising for Rarity, got it," she replied cheekily; Rarity grinned.

"Oh, so you _do_ understand," the older Mare teased back, and Clover laughed.

"See you later, Rarity," she replied and nodded to the two Pegasi. "Let's fly, boys," she declared, and grinned as they immediately took off. Flying by chariot wasn't the same as flying by yourself, but it was still great, and Clover rose up on her back hooves, front hooves on the edge just behind the Guards, and flared her wings, face lifted up, just enjoying the breeze with her eyes closed. She missed the softened glances of the now-amused Guards, but even if she had seen them, she wouldn't have been the least repentant.

An hour passed, and they were arriving at Canterlot. Clover stared up at the large structure; with it's many spires and buildings, arching out of the mountain, waterfalls and streams coiling throughout. As the Chariot flew over the city area and towards the Royal Courtyard, Clover peered down at the ponies they passed.

…

There were a _lot_ of Unicorns. As in, for every ten Unicorns, there were two Pegasi citizens, and for every six Pegasi citizens, there was an Earth Pony. It was all sorts of ridiculous, as far as Clover was concerned. The only real difference in population she could tell were the Guards, each faction decked out in their specific armor.

The Town Guards, mostly Earth Ponies, in their bronze armor that made the Stallions all look identical, and the Mares look plain as well as identical. The Castle Guard, made up of mostly Pegasi in their gold armor and identical appearances as well. And then their was the Royal Guard, which she met as one of her two Pegasus drivers escorted her to two of them.

The Celestial Guard, a Unicorn Stallion with golden armor that showed that he had once been a member of the Castle Guard, with the difference being the depiction of the sun on her breastplate in green, blue, and magenta. His mane was hidden under his helmet, his green eyes serious, his face unmoving, and his chocolate-brown coat meticulously groomed.

His compatriot was much the same, only _she_ was decked in dark blue armor, her dark purple coat looking brighter, her wings tucked neatly against her sides and her orange eyes determined. A crescent moon and a single star were depicted on her breastplate, declaring her to be one of the newly reinstated Night Guards. Unlike the Celestial Guard, a bit of her butter-yellow mane had escaped her helmet in the front in the form of a cowlick bang, and Clover nodded her head to the two in greeting with a smile, a little relieved that they could be a little mussed and not perfectly put together. The two Guards bowed deeply.

"Princess Clover Breeze," the greeted at the same time, and Clover didn't have to be sensitive to tension to feel how much of it rose immediately between the two.

"Guards," she greeted back, before hesitating. "Normally, I'd ask your names with Mares first, as it's polite, but, as you're both Guards, I'll ask in order of experience, hmm?" The two Guards straightened and saluted, Hoof to chest.

"My Lady," the Stallion began, bowing his head. "I am Sergeant Eagle Heart of the Celestial Guard, formerly of the Castle Guard." The Mare spoke next.

"And I am Private Violet Spiral, newest recruit of the Night Guard, formerly of the Town Guard, Milady." Clover sat down and smiled at them.

"Excellent," she declared, and beamed up at the fully-grown ponies. "I am Princess Clover Breeze, Guardian over the Dead, formerly just plain old Clover Breeze, daughter of a chef and an Astrologist." She grinned at them. "I trust you to take care of me while I'm in your capable hooves, Sergeant, Private." The had both looked startled for a brief second at her introduction, before they straightened and snapped a sharp salute at her last sentence.

"Yes, Princess," they both declared, before they settled on either side of her and escorted her into the castle.

"I don't suppose either of you know what I'm to expect, do you?" she asked hesitantly, a little intimidated by the vaulted ceilings of the hallways, and the large statues of ponies in armor they passed every so often.

"I'm afraid not, Milady," Private Spiral replied without an ounce of hesitation. "I was just a little filly when the youngest Princess, Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire, came into her crown. The Sergeant probably has a better idea, though." Sergeant Heart nodded seriously.

"I was a Private for the Castle Guard when Princess Cadance was crowned," he informed them calmly. "The inauguration is never the issue, for us Guard Ponies, that is. It's the political emissaries that tend to use the after-party as an excuse to snoop in on Pony business. I remember in particular, a fight between one of the Griffon Ambassador's Guards getting into an altercation with the Guard of one of the delegates from Saddle Arabia." He grimaced at the memory. "It was a political nightmare, and the clean-up was time-consuming. I have to say it though, that Griffon Guard had a _mean_ set of talons."

"Why, Sergeant, I didn't know you had such… _inappropriate_ thoughts about us!" A sly, masculine voice said as something flew over their little group and landed in front of them in the hallway. Immediately, Clover's Guards had their hooves on their weapons, and Sergeant Heart's horn glowed, ready to defend her if need be. Clover found herself looking at what could only be a Griffon, his form large and powerful, lethal, and reminding her rather vividly of Buckbeak, if the Hippogriff had been part lion instead of horse. This Griffon had dark brown fur, and mahogany-colored feathers that were speckled with black. He also wore viciously sharp and angular gold armor, and his icy blue eyes gleamed out of the charcoal gray feathers surrounding them, over a dangerously sharp amber beak as he smirked at the Sergeant, whose lips were in a tight, displeased line.

"Captain Sharpclaw," the Stallion gritted out, and Private Spiral shifted slightly closer to Clover, who tilted her head and eyed the Griffon curiously. "You know I meant no insult, _Sir_." The Griffon smirked, and his eyes slid half-shut.

"Oh, I don't know, _Sergeant_," he mocked back, and stood tall, his nearly-black wings flaring out before resting against his back and sides, the armored blades resting along their edge gleaming. "Complimenting a Griffon's talons is often seen as a request for a Courtship Battle, especially when the complimented Griffon is a Warrior." His smirk deepened as Sergeant Heart grimaced, and Clover couldn't help but giggle a bit, glancing at the Stallion in amusement as the Griffon turned his sharp eyes on her.

"Why, Sergeant!" she teased, voice deliberately playful so he would know she wasn't being serious. "How unprofessional." Private Spiral gave an aborted snort, turning it into a cough when the Sergeant sent her a vicious glare, promising reprimand, while Captain Sharpclaw let out a _scree_ of laughter.

"The little one has you there, Sergeant!" He declared, and gave Clover a wink and a flourishing bow. "Captain Makani Sharpclaw of the Blood-Claws, at your service." Clover stepped forward and gave him a curtsy, smiling still.

"Princess Clover Breeze, at yours, Captain." The Griffon blinked, and then narrowed his eyes at her consideringly.

"Ah," he said, and smirked. "So _you're_ the uppity hatchling we've been called to welcome. Tell me then, Little Princess, what do _you_ preside over? Rainbows and butterflies, perhaps?" He sneered ever so slightly in derision, standing tall. "Or perhaps you preside over _peace_ and _love_," he hissed; Sergeant Heart actually growled.

"You overstep yourself, Griffon!" He snarled; Clover lifted a staying hoof and gave him a quelling glance.

"I don't preside over any of those things, Captain," she told him calmly; his beak curled into a snarl of scorn.

"Then what, hmm? What pathetic, weak thing does a hatchling like you, a _pony_, preside over, hmm?"

"Death," Clover replied with an amused look as the Griffon's head actually jerked back in surprise. "I am Princess Clover Breeze, Guardian of the Dead, and Death is my power." In response to Clovers silent command, Marwolaeth shifted in her shadow, curling her power around Clovers form in a physical representation, making it appear as if a sudden, black miasma was coiling around her. The air in the hall grew frigid, their breath appearing in small white clouds of mist. The Griffon's feathers pinned themselves against his neck, his pale eyes wide and nervous. As quickly as she had appeared, Marwolaeth sank back into Clover's shadow with an amused laugh that was the rattling gasp of the sick and dying. The hallway seemed brighter and warmer after that, and Clover blinked as she noticed that Sergeant Heart and Private Spiral were both slick with a thick coat of sweat, eyes roiling in their sockets and breath coming in rapid pants. Clover felt her face heat, and coughed into her hoof, shooting them a sheepish look.

"I apologize, Captain, Sergeant, Private," she said to each of them with a sweet smile. "Sometimes I forget how others react to my power." Her father had almost passed out when he had coached her on how to access her new powers.

"N-no, Princess," Sharpclaw finally said, fluffing his feathers up with a firm shake. He stood tall and then gave her a deep, respectful bow, his right talons a fist against his breastplate. "It is I who apologizes. We Griffon's are battle-mongers. We thrive in battle and war, in _fighting_, My Lady, and there is many a Griffon who respects your elder monarchs for their prowess, but not the powers they reside over. I am one of those, and, in being so biased; I unjustly accused you of being weak, of having a weak power. It is a grave insult amongst us Griffons, My Lady, and I sincerely apologize for my blunder." He bowed his head even deeper, and Clover walked forward, and sat directly in front of him, smiling.

"Apology accepted, Captain," she informed him easily, making him straighten from his bow, an tower over her small form. "Though, I feel the need to tell you that the powers you suggested are far from weak if used in the correct ways." The Griffon arched a brow, seemingly back to being his rather antagonistic self.

"How so, My Lady?" he asked; Clover smiled.

"In battle, I could blind you with a swarm of butterflies in your face. Rainbows are light refracting, and, using that, I could create an identical image of myself and attack from a totally different direction while you're distracted. I can inflict peace upon my enemies, or love, and make them feel no need to fight me." She smiled at his blank, rather dumbfounded look. "Everything can be used in battle, Captain. It's just about how you harness it." She stood and inclined her head. "It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Captain Sharpclaw of the Blood-Claws. I'll look forward to your presence after my inauguration." The Griffon blinked, before he smirked and bowed again.

"I'll see you there, then, Princess Hatchling." Clover laughed at the nickname, before she nodded to him, and called to her Guards, making them snap too and dart after her as she continued down the hall.

"Princess, I really must insist that, as your designated Guards, you not leave our sides until we reach the Throne Room," Sergeant Heart told her sternly; Clover hesitated, and sent him a sheepish look.

"I apologize, Sergeant," she told him honestly. "But I thought that you would have liked a bit of privacy to recover from the aftereffects of my Death Aura. I'm still trying to get better control over it," she admitted simply, resisting the urge to sit down and rub a hoof on her foreleg, like she usually did in moments like this. The Sergeant frowned with disapproval, but nodded. Private Spiral sent her a tiny smile.

"You're young yet, Princess," she reassured the young Alicorn. "You've plenty of time to grow into your powers, Milady." Clover cast a warm smile on the Private, before Sergeant Heart cleared his throat, and Clover blinked as she found that they had reached the massive, guarded doors that apparently led to the Throne Room. The two Castle Guards standing on either side of the massive entryway bowed their heads to her and pushed the door open, exposing the large room beyond, filled with strange beings and ponies, and her two new cousins, plus what must have been Princess Cadance. She was on few inches shorter than Luna, with a pink coat, a long mane made up of three streaks in deep violet, rose, and gold, which curled at the end, and warm gray eyes. She was smiling down from the platform the three Princesses were standing on, and Clover hesitated, a little wide-eyed, before she took a deep breath, straightened up, and walked into the room, down the golden carpet laid before her. There were few murmurs in the crowd, but it was the respectful, expectant silence that was ratcheting up her nervousness. Once she reached the base of the Platform, she stood straight and looked up at the three, smiling Princesses.

"Clover Breeze," Celestia said, her voice warm, kind, and clear, immediately silencing the soft murmurs. "You were called here today, so that your promotion to Princess may be fully approved by the Princesses of Equestria, and to welcome you fully into the life of a Royal Alicorn." Luna stepped forward, but only after Cadance murmured something to her about… Using her 'inside voice'?

"For bravery in the face of adversity," the Princess announced, her voice softer and higher than her sister's, but just as clear and powerful. "For loyalty to your friends and country. For honor and courage when facing an adversary who was much stronger and crueler than you. For willingly laying your very life on the line for the sake of all of Equestria, and for helping bring our family back together," she smiled at this, and glanced at her sister and Cadance. "For these things and more, we name you Princess Clover Breeze, Guardian of the Dead." Stunned gasps and hisses filled the room at Clover's entire title, many casting her surprised looks, but they quieted as Cadance stepped forward with a sweet smile.

"We look forward to seeing you grow, in body, power, and mind, Clover," she told her warmly. "Welcome to the family." It seemed that was the needed signal, because the room filled with clapping, and even a few whistles. Clover felt her face heat, but all she could do was grin, as the three Princesses stepped down to join her on the floor, all three of them towering over her, with Cadance being the closest to her height.

"Let us adjourn to the Dining Hall," Celestia called over the crowd, as the crowd began to talk amongst themselves. "There is food and drink provided." The crowd immediately started moving in that direction, and Clover found herself being gently herded that way as well.

"After all," Cadance said, winking down at the younger Alicorn with a playful smile. "What's an inauguration without the after-party, hmm?" Clover giggled and nodded, smiling up at the pink Princess. "Well, little Guardian of the Dead, I'm Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or Cadance, for short," she smiled. "I live in the Crystal Empire, and I preside over the power of love." Clover blinked, and then grinned up at her.

"You know, I had a conversation with a Griffon Guard on the way here," she informed the other Princess. "And he asked what I presided over, and named love as one of the options." She smiled as Cadance looked amused. "I think it fits you better than it would me." Cadance laughed and Clover turned her eyes on Luna, looking her over before nodding with a pleased smile.

"You're looking much better, Luna," she told the dark Alicorn, who startled a bit at being addressed when she had been content to just walk along beside Clover while she and Cadance talked.

"Ah, um, yes," she said, eyes a little wider. "I am much better. And you look fully healed as well, Little Cousin." Clover bobbed her head as they finally entered the Dining Hall, and Celestia broke away to go speak with the dignitaries who had arrived, and Cadance excused herself in order to go talk to a handsome Guard Pony who was standing on the other side of the room. Clover watched his face light up with a sweet smile at the sight of Cadance, and looked to Luna, who smirked slightly.

"She's his Marefriend," Luna whispered, like it was a big secret, and Clover covered her mouth with her hooves, giggling as Luna did the same, their heads close together. The two spoke for a while, about Clovers friends and family, and Luna's irritating nephew, Prince Blueblood, and about the party itself. It seemed that no one wished to speak to Clover besides wishing her good health and congratulating her, so she was happy to have her new cousin's company.

As far as her first Royal Obligation went, Clover was happy. It could have been much, _much_ worse, after all, and spending time with family was always a good thing in her eyes. So, grabbing a plate, the two of them spent the rest of the day simply enjoying each other's company, and the sounds of conversation around them.

**A/N:** Ta-Da!

**VOCAB**

**Marefriend** – Girlfriend (A Stallionfriend would be a Boyfriend)

**Makani **– Hawaiian for "wind" according to my 100,00 Baby Name Book.

**WIZARDS PONY HEADCANNONS**

I believe that Ponies hit puberty at 13, and are then encouraged to start doing more adult things, so, by the time they're fifteen, they have either a part-time or full-time job of their choosing and either live on their own or live with their employers. It's to promote a healthy, adult attitude and trust in their community. At 18, they're considered able to marry, but it's socially frowned upon to have foals within the first couple of years, because they haven't fully settled into their married life, nor have a comfortable and steady income. There are always exceptions to that, however, but yeah. Those are my Pony Headcannon's.

**Pony Ages:**

**Clover:** 13 (Harry was 57 and permanently 17 at the very, VERY beginning of the fic, in case you were wondering, so, I guess, Clover COULD be 70 but, then again, she got lost in Void-Time, so she could be as old as Celestia, or older, considering…)

**Applejack:** 17

**Rarity:** 17 (three months younger than AJ)

**Rainbow Dash:** 16

**Fluttershy:** 16 (one month younger than Rainbow)

**Pinkie Pie:** 15 (Stated, IN CANON, that Fluttershy is a year older than Pinkie: _Griffon the Brush Off_, Episode 5, Season 1)

**Twilight:** 14½

**Big Macintosh:** 22

**Apple Bloom:** 7

**Scootaloo:** 6½

**Sweetie Belle:** 7½

**Zeb:** 5

**For other ponies, send in the request**

But not the Princesses.

They're Immortal, and Celestia was fully-grown a thousand years ago, so, she's freaking old. Luna was trapped in the moon for a thousand years, and she's STILL only about eighteen to nineteen, body-wise. That should tell you something.

**WIZARD'S ZEBRA HEADCANNONS**

Zebra are pony-like beings from Zefrica (my own creation, combined from Zebra and Africa due to the notes on Zecora and Zebra in general in the MLP Wiki). There are different tribes, with different color and speech patterns, and different ways of doing things. Zendo is from a Southern Tribe, which is why his stripes are black, and he only has a small hoop earring, and why Clover wasn't given a huge number of rings or bracelets or whatever when she reached puberty. His Tribe give their fillies two hoof-bracelets when they hit maturity, and two more every three years, until they reach the age of 18, at which point they get their upper ears pierced with two hoops on both ear tips.

Zecora is from a Northern Tribe, which is why her stripes are gray, and she talks in rhymes, because it's a tradition in her Tribe in order to keep away Evil Spirits, and, even if the Zebra doesn't truly believe that, it's something she was raised into and around, so she does it anyways.

There are a few more Tribes, but those may or may not come in later.

**Any questions about the Zebra's? Review!**

**WIZARD'S GRIFFON HEADCANNONS**

Griffons, as a whole, are a battle-hungry lot. Battle is a part of their everyday lives, whether in training, courting, bartering, or just defending their territory from their neighbors, the Sphinxes, who are few in number but live very long.

**(** **A/N:** THE SPHINXES ARE NOT CANNON. I MADE THEM UP. MANTICORES ARE MALE VERSIONS OF SPHINXES, SO, THERE YOU GO. THAT'S HOW I EXPLAINED IT.**)**

Complimenting a Griffon on their talons, especially for Guard Griffons (who I call Blood-Claws in my head) is all but asking them for a Courting Battle, where, if you win, you're then betrothed to the Griffon. If they win, they can choose to deny your courtship or accept it, especially if you impressed them.

The Griffons have semi-peaceful dealings with the Ponies of Equestria, mostly because their Kings have always respected Celestia for having such control over her land, and for the stern-but-fair punishment she gave to her younger sister when she rebelled. Griffons are surprisingly family-oriented, wanting the best for their loved ones even when encouraging them to fight often, and teaching them to do so through spars which start as soon as their wings are strong enough to hover.

To die in battle is considered a high honor for any Griffon, unless said Griffon is a Kin-Slayer, Oath-Breaker, or Yellow-Feather (A Griffon who flees from a fight, or uses non-warrior ways to defeat their opponent, like poison or magic. Unicorns, while disliked, are excused from this, as they have no wings and therefore MUST use their magic.). A crippled Griffon is a pitied Griffon, unless the injury was gained during a vicious battle, and the one who injured them fell to their talons, then it is a Battle Trophy as opposed to a crippling.

A Griffon who has lost their wings is killed out of mercy, before the Sky Madness can set in and slowly destroy their mind.

**More questions about Griffons? Review!**

And that's the end of Wizard's Headcannon's!

**Q&A**

**Q: What would you look like if you were an Alicorn?**

A: My mane would be made up of browns and reds, and medium length and shaggy, and I'd have a yellow and brown striped knitted beanie on my head, with a hole for my horn to poke through. My tail would be the same, only longer and I'd have a burnt orange ribbon tied in a bow around the base, holding it up like a high ponytail. My coat would be a gold/hay yellow mix, darkening to orange-yellow down my legs, the tips of my feathers, and the tip of my horn. My eyes would be kind of squinty and dark green, and I'd have to use glasses to read. My cutie mark would be either a book with a pair of glasses on it, an autumn leaf, or a smiley face.

**Q: Does Clover have any duties besides being Guardian of the Dead?**

A: She has to go to all the important dances and meetings, and, if something happened to Celestia, and Luna, AND Cadance (because they're all older than she is), she'd have step up and take over their duties. As the Guardian of the Dead, she has to make sure that the restless spirits move on and don't linger, and can summon the dead. However, she feels very strongly about not doing it unless it's important, after all, it's not a party trick.

Other than all that, though, she just has to be ready to help the Elements should they need it, if she's around at the time.

**Q: Does she get to wear those weird shoes the other Princesses have on their hooves?**

A: Only at parties.

**Q: Will Death play any further role in this fic?**

A: Yes (Any more than that would be considered a Spoiler, sorry)

**Q: Will there being pairings with, like, Princes and stuff?**

A: Well, right now the fic is staying Gen (Clover's like 13 remember), and the only Prince I was able to find in MLP Wiki was Blueblood, so I'm going with 'no' at the moment, lolz.

**Q: What's your updating schedule look like?**

A: Sporadic and random.

No, but seriously.

I'll update whenever the Muse strikes me, usually a bunch of chapters in a relatively short amount of time, before something else catches my attention. I'll probably be on MLP for a while, though, because I'm watching the whole series, so (Shrugs)

**Q: Was the Soup & Rye so busy last chapter because of the Summer Sun Festival**?

A: Indeed, and I said that too, that ponies had come from out of town to see the princess, and lots of ponies in town were just excited, and some were still trying to get a good look at Clover, either because she's a new face, looks so different, or they still believed she was a princess.

**Q: Were the cooking instructions from an actual recipe or…?**

A: Nope, kinda based it off potions though

**Q: Can you explain Clovers accent? Does she have to concentrate on not having it or does she repress it?**

A: I based the accent on the fact that she spent so much time with her dad that she unconsciously started mimicking him, and the way he talks, and so she had to make a concentrated effort not to speak like that because it wasn't her accent. It's why she slips into it when she's not paying attention, because she'd spent so much time around it, it sounded natural.

"But she's originally British" you say? Yeah, and every damn Muggleborn in that series started going around babbling about Merlin and saying "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" and "You-Know-Who" after barely a month being surrounded by others saying the same things, so it's totally plausible to start unconsciously mimicking someone around you who speaks in an accent.

I do it when I talk to any of my more country cousins. My twang and drawl abruptly get deeper, or sharper, and everyone starts looking at me like "OMFG you're a hick" and I'm just like "What? I sound normal to me, what's going on?" and then abruptly hear myself and am like "Oops…" so, yeah.

It works.

**Q: (Insert all questions about misspellings and such)?**

A: I FIXED IT

**Q: Does Clover have any other family members?**

A: She has: Her mother, father, both sets of grandparents, little brother, two uncles, her "cousins" (The Princesses and, I guess in a way, Prince Blueblood), and one distant aunt on her mothers side who isn't going to make anything but a random cameo somewhere later.

**Q: Does Fluttershy have parents?**

A: I dunno, never mentioned in the Wiki and neither are Rainbow Dash's, so maybe?

**Q: Will we see the Sea-Serpent again?**

A: Maybe? Idk (Waves hand absently) I'm playing this fic by ear, ya know. I don't have any idea where anything is going. And the whole basic plot of the MLP series is "Twilight learns more about friendship and they fight for the good of all" and that's pretty much it, outside of specific episodes, so, yeah.

Winging it like a Pegasus (puts on sunglasses like a boss)

**Q: (Insert questions about Luna and her emotions and Celestia and stuff)?**

A: Yes, Luna was aware of what she was doing. Yes she almost cried when they all found out Clover was dead (however temporarily.) despite not personally knowing her. Even if she didn't know what was going on when she was Nightmare, she probably would have been horribly sad, because that's just how a majority of the ponies roll in the series. And Celestia wasn't as emotional because she's freaking over a thousand years old and is used to watching the ponies around her age and wither and die. Both Luna and Celestia are only Princesses instead of Celestia being Queen, because there's no such title for the Ponies in the Equestria world, according to the Wiki. Other species have the title, however.

**Q: (Insert all questions having to deal with the MLP TV show asking for clarification and such)?**

A: If you go to the MLP Wiki page, all will be answered. I just legitimately can't spend extra time answering the same questions over and over, it raises my word count without helping the chapter.

Sorry.

On that note, however, if it doesn't say anything specific in the Wiki, then check my Headcannon's and see if that helps. If not, ask me and TELL ME IN THE REVIEW that it doesn't say in the Wiki, okay?

**Q: When Celestia calls Twilight her "most faithful and loyal student" is that alluding to her having more than one student, or of having one before Twilight?**

A: According to the Wiki, Celestia is the former teacher of one other pony, but, besides that, she's _always_ calling Twilight her most loyal and faithful student, so I just kinda shrugged and threw it in there (Shrugs)

**Q: Wasn't Clover 5 when Zeb was born?**

A: Five years had passed when Harry had fully threw away his past and fully embraced being Clover. Time skips are tossed around in the prologue randomly (And in the show, btw, so, canon?). She was closer to eight when Zeb was on the way, and a little older than eight when he was born (hence why her uncle was relaxed enough to let her cook and clean like an adult, but stayed close just in case, despite being a chef himself).

**Q: I thought that the Mane Six were in their mid-twenties, since most of them have their own houses and jobs and such…?**

A: Again, my headcannon is that Ponies hit maturity at thirteen. See my Headcannon. At eighteen, they're Adult Mares and Stallions, as opposed to Young Mares and Stallions.

There are still cultures today who have similar ideologies in the real world, too, and some that have girls as young as twelve being allowed to marry and such, so it's not much of a stretch.

Also, they have magic. Even the Pegasi and Earth Ponies, and work is easy to come by when you only have to be good at one thing.

**Q: Why doesn't Smoky Mark have a cutie mark? Late Bloomer?**

A: He just hasn't found the one thing that's his specialty, that's all.

**CRACK QUESTION!**

**Q: If Spike and Rarity actually DID get together, what would their kid look like?**

A: Well, despite putting a disturbing image in my head, I'll answer this, WITH SCIENCE!

(Lol, jk, but Siriusly)

First of all, in order for anything like that to happen, someone (Either the Princesses of Twilight) would have to magic either Spike in to a Stallion, or Rarity into a dragon, both of which have different consequences.

**STALLION SPIKE**

Purple Pegasus with a green mane and tail, and probably a jewel or something as a cutie mark. This would lead to him and Rarity having foals, which could be either Pegasi (more often than not), or Unicorns (Least often). They'd be a mix of their parent's colors, and probably have some sort of jewel names.

**DRAGONESS RARITY**

White body with meticulously cared for indigo spines, and she would lose her horn (temporarily) and gain wings instead. They'd have drakelings, obviously, who would look like a mix of their parents, and probably have jewel names.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Here's the next chapter!

**Q&A** at the bottom!

Enjoy!

**Fields of Thyme**

_**Chapter Four:**_

_Friendship_

"Cahful," Zendo coached softly as Clover grit her teeth, concentrating on the magic that was lighting up around her horn and the space in front of her. "Cahful, cahful… Dat's it." The empty space glowed brightly as the light around Clovers horn grew taller and darker. The air was sharp with the smell of ozone and frigid, despite the fact it was a rather warm day.

"Al…most…got…it…" the young Alicorn hissed, her hoofs sinking a bit into the dirt as her horn grew even brighter. With a low shout, Clover shoved her horn forward, and, there was a blast of bright light, and a sudden wave of power that sent the young Alicorn tumbling back with a yelp. Gasping, feeling surprising tired and weak, Clover looked up from the ground and stared, wide-eyed, at the site before her.

A Zebra Stallion stood there, tall and surprisingly muscular, with a red streak of paint slashed over his eyes. His hooves each had five rings, and his ears were pierced with two hoops on the top of the left ear, and two studs on the top of the right. His black-and-white streaked mane was held back in a severe braid, with red feathers and beads weaved into it. Red painted hoof-prints decorated his flanks, including one over his cutie mark, which was a line-work outline of what looked like a spearhead.

All of this was offset, however, by the fact that he was see-through, and floating a bit off the ground, leaving no shadow.

_"Why 'ave ye summoned me, sorceress?"_ the spirit demanded, and Clover stood on weak legs, and gave him a frown.

"Ah be no sorceress, spirit," she said, frowning up at him. "Mah Papa be 'elpin' me train wit' mah powah's, which be connected to death." The spirit eyed her, before frowning and reluctantly nodded.

_"Ah be Zerno. Beware, little one, de spirit world is no place to play wit'. Dere be spirit's 'ere strong and mean, and dey will do deir best to 'urt you."_ With that, Zerno bobbed his head, and gave a high screaming yowl, before he disappeared in a flash of light and a wisp of smoke. Clover sat down, as she suddenly felt even more tired, yawning hugely as the air once more warmed, and the smell of ozone faded away. Zendo walked over to her, and wrapped his foreleg around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her slightly-sweaty temple, and she felt his smile against her coat.

"Well done, Sweet One," he told her, voice warm with pride. He leaned back and looked down at her, smiling softly. "We'll 'ave to practice some odder time, because you look like yah about to be fallin' down." Clover giggled tiredly, and shook herself once her removed his foreleg. She flared her wings up and out a bit, shaking them, before smiling up at her father.

"I'm going to go to Fluttershy's house for a bit, Papa," she told him, smiling. "I'll come home for dinner, or send a note if I'm not, okay?" Zendo smiled, and they pressed their muzzles together affectionately, before Clover lifted into the air and glided towards Ponyville, yawning occasionally and enjoying the wind, though she shivered occasionally due to her sweat chilling rapidly.

"I hope Flutter's not too busy," she said, yawning as she reached the outskirts of Ponyville. "Applejack was supposed to help her round up the new bunnies for count…ing… What the hay?" She stilled, hovering over the town square as she gawped down at the town. There were bunnies everywhere, demolishing gardens and scaring prissy ponies. Fluttershy was desperately trying to round them up, looking close to tears, and Clover saw a frowning Twilight stalking towards Sweet Apple Acres. Frowning in concern, Clover spiraled down to land next to her friend.

"Flutter, what happened?" Clover asked worriedly, even as she gently nudged a baby rabbit towards her friend's home, the small brown bunny joining the small group Fluttershy had managed to herd together. The pale gold Pegasus sniffled, and looked at Clover, obviously distressed.

"Oh, Clover, I'm so glad you're here to help," she whispered as she gently coaxed another bunny out of a garden. "Applejack is just so tired from staying up and trying to clear her families orchard all by herself, she and her puppy scared the poor baby bunnies into stampeding into town!" Clover paused, eyes wide.

"The _entire_ orchard?" she asked in disbelief. "It's _huge_! And I know it takes her _and_ her brother two weeks to get it emptied, _together_, and _how_ long has she been trying to do this herself?!" Fluttershy winced and mumbled something that made Clover gape. "_Three weeks and she hasn't asked for help!?_" Fluttershy shook her head, and gently picked up a bunny.

"You ponies lose something?" Rainbow Dash called as she flew by with a pair of large picnic baskets filled with bunnies.

"Oh, thank you very much Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy called softly with a relieved smile, and Clover grinned.

"I think she's got the right idea," Clover told the soft-spoken Pegasus, before the two of them flew over to find Rarity and Pinkie Pie with their own baskets, catching rabbits. Together, the five of them managed to catch all the rabbits, and count them much easier, as there were seven rabbits to a basket, and it took twelve baskets.

"That's a _lot_ of fuzzy-wuzzy baby bunnies," Pinkie exclaimed as they gently emptied the baskets. Fluttershy shook her head, though.

"Oh, no, it's actually a bit lower than expected," she quietly told them with a gentle frown. "Eighty-four bunnies for the entirety of Ponyville? Some must have gone into the Everfree Forest." She nibbled her lip unhappily. "Oh, I do hope they're okay…" Clover patted her on the shoulder gently in an attempt to comfort the empathetic Pegasus.

"Nah, they probably got eaten," Rainbow Dash said easily, and Fluttershy gasped, eyes filling with tears.

"Rainbow Dash!" Clover and Rarity shouted, glaring at the athlete while Clover quickly wrapped her arms around her best friend. Even Pinkie frowned up at the speedster as the cyan Pegasus circled them.

"What?" She asked, turning to look at them; she faltered mid-flap, however, at the sight of the snifling, tearful Fluttershy hiding her face in Clovers neck. "Oh… Sorry?" Rainbow's ears pinned down and she drooped, looking away and rubbing a hoof over her foreleg. "I meant to say… um… That they're.. Eating! Yeah, that's it!" She brightened and smiled at Flutter, when the Pegasus peeked up at her uncertainly. "They're probably already eating lots of flowers and stuff. I mean, you remember when we went in there for the Elements, and there were, like, _tons_ of flowers and plants and stuff?" She threw her hooves up and gestured exuberantly as Flutter sat back fully, and wiped her tears away with a hoof, still sniffling. "They're probably all fat and fluffy and taking naps now."

"Oh, I hope so," Fluttershy said softly, giving one last sniffle, before turning to gently scold a bunny that had tried to gnaw on the basket it was in.

"Nice save," Pinkie told Rainbow Dash as the Pegasus landed with a relieved sigh.

"Not cool. I _hate_ it when she cries," the athlete muttered with a shudder. "Her eyes do that big, wet, puppy thing and it makes you feel like you just ate all of somepony's birthday cake." Pinkie gasped in horror, and began to rapidly babble about what kind of pony would do such a horrible thing, while Rainbow Dash groaned and covered her face with her hooves, resting her chin in the dirt as she did so. "I had to open my big mouth, didn't I?" she muttered as Pinkie continued to chatter. Clover didn't even _try_ to drudge up some pity for the generally tactless pony, and knew that Pinkie was laying her rant on purposefully thick, as her own sort of revenge. Happy, hyper, and fun-loving Pinkie may be, but she knew that someponies found her annoying, and she used it to her advantage in certain cases.

"There," Fluttershy announced with a pleased smile minutes later, as the last of the bunnies was returned to its warren. "All eighty-four bunnies!" She turned and gave her friends a sweet smile. "Thank you very much for helping me." Clover beamed.

"We're always ready to help you out, Flutter," she reassured with a warm smile. "You'd do the same for us, after all!" The other three agreed, all of them smiling warmly.

"Y'all think you could help somepony else, too?" Came a tired, hesitant voice; the five of them turned and found a shame-faced Applejack standing next to a gently smiling Twilight. The Farm Pony pinned her ears back and looked up at Fluttershy. "Ahm awful sorry Ah scared off yer bunnies, Fluttershy." She turned her eyes on Pinkie. "An' Ahm sorry fer poisonin' ponies an' not bein' a very good assistant when you needed me, Pinkie. An' an' Rainbow? Ahm awful sorry fer sendin' you flyin' like that. Ya could have gotten hurt, and it would have been all mah fault. Ahm sorry, everypony." She pinned her ears back and looked at the ground, before closing her eyes and lifting her head again to look at them pleadingly. "An' Ah know Ah ain't got no rite ta be askin' after ever'thing I put y'all through, but I _really_ need y'alls help." The ponies all looked at each other, before smiling at their friend.

"It's about time," Rarity announced, smiling as Applejack's head shot up/ "We've been waiting for you to ask for _weeks_, now, dahling." Clover smiled at her.

"An _entire_ orchard is hard work for a _team_ of ponies, Applejack," she said gently. "And there's no shame in asking for a bit of help when you get stuck. It's just common sense." Applejack smiled sheepishly at that, and rubbed a hoof against the back of her head, still looked exhausted.

"Yeah, well, we Apples ain't known for common sense much," she chuckled. "More mule-headed stubbornness… No offence," she added hurriedly when the all noticed a mule passing by on his way into Ponyville.

"None takin', youngin'," he reassured and went back to trundling away. All seven of them laughed and giggled, before they all headed over to Sweet Apple Acres. When the reached it, they were met by Big Macintosh, his ribs wrapped in bandages.

"Nnope," he said when Applejack tried to lead them towards the trees that still had apples. "Yer to get to bed, AJ. _I'll_ be tellin' 'em how to buck apples. _Git_," he said, the last word coming out a bit sharper than Clover had heard him speak before. Applejack slumped, and shuffled off to the farmhouse for a good rest. The large Draft Pony then led them all to the trees, and gave them a simplified version of how to buck apples.

"Ya just kick 'em," he told them simply. "Harder ya kick, the more apples fall." He gave Clover a small frown. "You might not be able to, Miss Clover, with you being so young yet. I'll see how ya buck the first tree, an' if I think you're not ready, you'll just have to help move the apples after, understand?" Clover bobbed her head, and watched as Rainbow Dash kicked a tree, making a good dozen apples fall. It wasn't the whole tree, but it was still a decent number of them. Nodding her head, Clover dug her hooves in, looking for all the world like she was about to run a race. Lunging forward with a small flare of her wings, Clover shot at the tree. Seconds before she would have slammed into it, she twisted, her whole body leaving the ground, as she slammed all four hooves into the tree and sprang into the air. The tree shook, and six apples fell, but Clover felt proud of herself as she fluttered down to hover in front of Big Macintosh, eyes hopeful as he looked over the tree and then her. Finally, he gave a nod, and she beamed.

"You can buck," he told her, before frowning sternly. "But if yer legs or hooves start hurting, you stop, and move apples instead, understand?" She bobbed her head rapidly, and he handed her one of the apple-moving side-bags that the others had already gotten (except Twilight, who was using her large magic reserves to levitate apples off five or six trees at a time and into large bushels.

Three days later, the seven of them (Applejack joining them the next day after a full nights sleep and three large meals) finally finished. With a celebratory drink of apple juice, they made their way home. Clover stretched out in the air with a happy sigh as Rainbow Dash flew spirals around her.

"Back to magic practice for me," she said with a small pout.

"What's up with that, anyways?" Rainbow Dash asked as she flew upside-down over the Alicorn. "I mean, you're an _Alicorn_! What do you need to practice for?" Clover frowned up at her.

"Just because I'm an Alicorn doesn't mean I just automatically know _everything_ about magic or something, Rainbow," she told her friend. "I mean, I have to learn just like everypony else. I can fly okay, but I haven't gotten the hang of cloud walking or moving. I can levitate stuff okay, and make my horn sharp with magic, but I can't teleport very well at _all_ and my Death Magic is still hard to handle. I can scare a lot of ponies with my Death Aura, and I summoned my first spirit the other day, but it exhausted me. When I get bigger, it probably won't, but having such a big thing as my power means I have to practice at it _now_ or else I wouldn't be able to do my job as Guardian of the Dead." Rainbow Dash frowned and did a loop-de-loop until she was beside Clover.

"What's up with _that_, anyways?" she asked. "I mean, like, what do you even _do_?" Clover blinked at her.

"I make sure that the spirits of the dead make it to the Afterlife," she told her friend, and then leaned really close, her eyes as big as she could make them, until their eyes were almost touching, and whispered as hoarsely and creepily as she could: "_I see dead ponies_." Rainbow Dash actually choked and dropped as her wings snapped shut, before she came to her senses and flapped them rapidly with a yelp, just before she would have landed on Twilight. Clover snickered as the cyan Pegasus glowered up at her.

"_Not _cool, Clover. Not. Cool." Clover just waved a hoof at her, and spiraled through the air until she was flying beside Fluttershy, who was softly humming. When they reached Ponyville, they went their separate ways (well, mostly. Applejack went with Pinkie Pie so she could help make some cupcakes _without_ nearly killing the population, and Rainbow Dash was following Twilight because she wanted to read another book on The Wonderbolts.).

It wasn't until a week later that Clover was free from her part-time job at the Soup & Rye, her magic studies, _and_ foal-sitting Zeb. Walking into Ponyville, she was just in time to get a bucket-load of water dumped on her. There was loud giggling and Clover slowly turned her head to the side, where she found Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash collapsing on the ground with laughter. Eyes narrowing, Clover fluttered her soaked wings, and rose into the air. Abruptly, she shook herself, and sent water flying…

Right onto the laughing ponies, making them yelp in surprise. They looked at each other, saw their soaked manes now all straight and floppy, and started howling with laughter once more. Now dry, Clover smirked down at them.

"I _always_ prank back," she told them simply, before winking. "Good one, though." With that, she flew off towards Fluttershy's house. She was spending the night with her best friend for the next three days, and was looking forward to it. Spotting her friend talking to a duck couple and their several ducklings on the bank of a small pond that had several fish in it. Spiraling slowly down, Clover landed near her friend, who beamed sweetly at her and handed her a few, strange pellets.

"So you can feed the fish," she informed the confused Alicorn simply. "Mommy and Daddy Duck kept eating the pellets, but they're not very good for them or the babies, so I had to ask them all to stop." The ducks all quacked, with the smallest duckling doing this up and down bobbing dance-thing with its quacks. Clover shrugged and carefully threw some of the pellets in, knowing better than to throw them all in and risk getting scolded by her friend. Fluttershy spoke to the ducks a bit more, before thanking them and sitting next to Clover to watch the fish eat and swim. Silence reigned for several minutes as they just sat there.

"This is very peaceful," Clover announced softly; Fluttershy hummed sweetly and smiled, before they fell quiet again. After about twenty minutes, they finally moved away. Clover had fun, helping her friend feed and check up on all her animal friends. They had a nice dinner of soup (which Clover made) and an herb bread with nuts and berried (that Fluttershy made). They talked about many things as they got ready for bed, Clover on her pillow and Fluttershy laying on her bed. They laid there for hours into the night, talking softly and giggling occasionally. And, after a point, Clover urged Fluttershy outside, and they sat out in the grass. Clover pointed at a certain group of stars.

"That's the constellation The Warrior Pony," Clover told her friend quietly as they listened to the crickets chirp and stared up at the stars. "It's named after the great Pony named Orse, who fought against an enraged Manticore-that's the constellation beside it, you see." She pointed at the specific stars, and then turned to continue her explanation. "It's said that, to Ancient Ponies of Old, his bravery was so impressive, that the gods they worships put his image into the very sky, where he and the Manticore could be forever remembered, and forever honored for their legendary battle."

"Wow…" Fluttershy whispered, eyes wide as she stared at the constellations. "I never knew the stars had _stories_ about them…" Clover nodded in understanding, before Fluttershy pointed in a random direction. "What about those ones there? What do they make up?" Clover looked over and smiled.

"That's the Twins. Their names are Canter and Pull-It, and they're always together. Those stars were particularly well known by Ship Ponies, because it was a common belief that they brought luck and prosperity to any voyage."

"And those?" Fluttershy asked eagerly, turning and pointing; Clover turned and looked as well with a laugh.

"That's the Great Scorpion, who was actually the one that killed the Warrior Orse, _not_ the Manticore." Fluttershy gaped at her.

"What? But, I thought!" She gestured over where Orse and the Manticore lay, and then at the Great Scorpion, so Clover turned to her.

"Okay, so, here's the whole story about Orse." She settled in, and Fluttershy turned to face her curiously. The next hour was spent, telling the tale of Orse, the Warrior Pony, who grew arrogant in his abilities to fight and kill any monster who got in his way, using only his bronze club and his wits. Of how Mother Nature herself rejected his challenge, when he declared he would kill every monster, and sent the Great Scorpion, who felled the Warrior Pony with a single sting of its deadly tale. Of how the gods had placed Orse in the sky at the request of the hunting goddess, who hunted with Orse. And, she told how the Great Scorpion, in memorial to the great Pony, had joined him in the sky, always watching, prepared to move and stop the Pony should his arrogance ever again make such an appearance.

"…and the moral of the tale, Flutter," Clover finished, smiling at her fascinated friend, "is that actions have consequences… Or, at least, that's how my Papa explained it to me," she added with a sheepish smile. Fluttershy smiled brightly.

"Oh, that was a w-wond-" she broke off in order to yawn, which got Clover yawning as well. "Wonderful story, excuse me," she gigged, and Clover did too, before they both yawned again, which made them giggle even more.

"Bedtime?" Clover asked; Fluttershy nodded and blinked with a sleepy smile.

"Bedtime," she agreed, and the two stumbled through the dark back to their bedroom, where they mumbled goodnight and fell straight asleep.

They woke early in the morning despite how tired they were, so that they could feed the animals. For breakfast, they split the last of the bread from the day before, and a thick, creamy sweet-soup that Clover usually had for breakfast. They worked happily, Fluttershy cheerfully telling Clover all about how she met each and every animal, what they liked best, what they didn't like, practically babbling while Clover watched on, happy to see her normally soft-spoken, quiet friend, so genuinely excited about anything.

"Oh dear!" The Pegasus gasped, turning to Clover with wide, upset eyes. "I forgot that I'm supposed to take Mr. And Mrs. Duck and their ducklings into town so that they can move into the bigger pond closer to your house!" She bit her lips. "I _promised_, Clover!" Clover blinked at her, then smiled.

"Then go and do it, Flutter," she said, making shooing motions. "Me and Angel are feeding the birds, and then we're going to check on the snake that's taken up residence in a tree nearby and make sure he knows he can't eat anyone here." As she continued to look uncertain, Clover hugged her. "A promise is a promise, Flutter. You go on, I know you'll be back soon." The Alicorn smiled, and Fluttershy threw her forelegs around her best friends neck in a hug, before happily gathering the Ducks and their ducklings, and leading them towards town, walking backwards the whole way so she could coax them along. Clover shook her head with a smile, before gently tossing some more seed onto the ground, where it was immediately attacked by a group of birds. Angel finished with his little bag of seeds, and leaped up onto her head, holding onto Clover's horn for balance. Clover giggled, finished tossing the birdseed, and followed the direction the bunny pointed, until they reached a large cedar tree. Clover peered around it, before finding the snake curled up in an old bird hole.

"Hello, there," she greeted, having to hover gently to see into the hole properly. The snake lifted its head, tongue flickering, and Clover was mildly concerned to find herself face-to-face with a Cottonmouth. "My name is Clover, and my friend Fluttershy lives just over that way," she pointed and the snake twitched that way, before turning his eyes back to Clover. "Well, she takes care of a lot of animals, most of which are rather small and, well, we just wanted to ask that you not eat any of the animals that live there, but rather eat in the Everfree Forest. You're still welcome to live here, of course, but you just can't bite anyone. Is that okay?" The snake stared, before it slowly nodded its head. Clover beamed and clapped her hooves together. "Wonderful, thank you for listening. I'll tell Fluttershy when she gets back! Sorry for disturbing your nap. Have a nice day!" She waved and flew away, humming quietly.

_No wonder Fluttershy seems so happy when she's not nervous_, Clover thought as she landed next to Angels personal little house, so the bunny could take a nap of his own. _Taking care of animals is pretty rewarding_. She wandered around for several minutes, helping a young hedgehog over a rock so it could reach its mother, before moving on. Suddenly, though, she heard the sound of crying, and turned quickly to find Fluttershy running right to her, sobbing her little heart out, until she finally reached Clover and was able to throw her forelegs around the Alicorn's neck, and bury her face into Clover's pelt, shaking as she sobbed. Clover, bewildered and worried, hugged her tight and tried to sooth her.

"What happened, Flutter?" The next ten minutes, between sobs, sniffles, and hiccups, the shy Pegasus told Clover about accidentally bumping into a Griffon while in town, and how the Griffon had yelled at her, before roaring loudly in her face. Clover's eyes narrowed, but, instead of running into town and bucking the Griffon in the face, like she _really wanted to_, she wrapped her wing around her friend's back and guided her inside. She proceeded to make the Pegasus a cup of Whoa Hot Chocolate. "

"Why's it called Whoa?" Fluttershy asked, voice a little hoarse from crying. Clover sent her a gentle smile before looking back at the pot in front of her.

"Because every time somepony drinks it, they tend to say that," she informed her friend, carefully nudging some cinnamon into the chocolate-y mixture. She couldn't stand seeing her sweet friend with tear-swollen eyes and a splotchy face, ears droopy and wings limp. After mixing in a few more ingredients, She poured the mixture into an extra-large coffee cup, and set it in front of Fluttershy, with the last of it going into a smaller cup for herself. Fluttershy smiled weakly and took a sip, her eyes suddenly going wide.

"Whoa," she breathed; Clover grinned.

"Told you, she said smugly, sipping her own cup. The spoke quietly for the next hour, telling stories and laughing at silly jokes, until there was a rapid knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Clover said, hopping up and flying to the door, humming as she heard Fluttershy start moving the cups to the sink for washing, with the saucepan. Clover opened the door and found an envelope tied to balloons and floating there, with a picture of Pinkie's face on it. Finding both her name an Fluttershy's on the envelope, Clover opened it while carrying the balloons inside.

"We're invited to the Welcome To Ponyville/Attitude Improving party Pinkie's throwing for Gilda later today," she announced as she re-entered the kitchen. Fluttershy's ears drooped and she seemed to hunch uncertainly. "Also, apparently Pinkie wants you not to worry, because 'Aunty Pinkie Pie is going to take care of the big Meanie-Mean Head for you'," Clover quoted, and was rather amused to see the small scowl that crossed Fluttershy's face.

"I'm a year older than she is," she muttered, and washed the saucepan more vigorously than actually needed. Clover hummed and let the balloons float away to the ceiling, setting the two invitations down.

"Sounds like fun," she declared. "And if the upstart Griffon tries anything, well, Captain Sharpclaw and I exchange letters, so, if nothing else, I can inform him that the upstart may need some extra _training_ in diplomacy or something," she mused, shrugging.

"Oh, please don't do anything rash," Fluttershy pleaded, turning huge, anxious blue eyes on Clover and wringing her soapy hooves. "I don't want anypony to get upset because of such a little thing…" Clover frowned at her, before walking over to her friend and sitting on her haunches, setting her forehooves on Fluttershy's.

"The night of Twilight's welcoming party," she said slowly, looking earnestly into her friend's uncertain eyes. "I was upset and embarrassed, because Rainbow Dash had laughed at my accent when I was startled. Do you remember?"

"Yes," she whispered softly, uncertainly.

"And you told me something that really touched me," The Alicorn told her seriously. "You told me something that made me feel better, and that made me cherish what you had said. _You_ told me, that something that upset me was _never_ silly. And, Fluttershy?" She leaned closer, until the bridges of their muzzles touched. "You being upset, you _crying_, and finding out someone _made _you _cry on purpose_, _**that**_ upsets me. I was so angry and upset, that at first, I wanted to _hurt_ that Griffon," she said softly, and nodded at her friend's gasp. "But I knew that _that_ would upset _you_. And, you're my _best friend_, Flutter." She pulled back and moved her hooves up to put them on either side of Fluttershy's tearful face, smiling sweetly. "And I _only_ want you to be happy." Fluttershy sniffled, before lunging forward and tackling Clover to the ground, hugging her tightly. Clover hugged her back, and the two just laid there for a long while, curled around each other on their sides in an almost yin-yang-like sign.

"When's the party?" Fluttershy whispered softly, her face buried in Clover's mane, and the Alicorn's buried in hers. Clover smiled into the skin under her friend's ear.

"About six, the invitation said," she murmured as Fluttershy snuggled in.

"We should start going, then," the Pegasus mumbled. "It's five-thirty…" Clover agreed reluctantly, and the two of them started towards town. They found Pinkie at Sugarcube Corner, where the party was being held, and they were happily invited in.

What followed, after Gilda arrived, had to be one of the funniest things Clover had yet to witness since Harry had picked Equestria. The Griffon ran into every, single one of _Rainbow Dash's_ pranks, thinking the whole time that Pinkie was out to get her, when the Party Pony had, legitimately, been planning the party to "improve" Gilda's personality. Though, Clover could have done without the rude Griffon yelling and calling her friends names, she had fun, and it was nice to see Fluttershy smiling happily as she ate cupcakes with Twilight.

"Are you having fun, Clover?!" Pinkie asked happily, from where she had abruptly "not-teleported" over the Alicorn's shoulder, their cheeks pressed together. Clover laughed.

"Lot's of fun, Pinkie Pie," she assured her bubbly friend, before smirking. "Though, I have to wonder who suggested to Rainbow Dash that the party would be a great place for pranks…" Something deeply satisfied flashed across the pink Earth Pony's eyes, but her expression never flickered, her beaming smile becoming only more so.

"I dunno," she chirped. "But isn't Rainbow just a riot? I mean, that present with the pop-out snakes?! Hilarious~!" she sang, before popping a cupcake into Clovers mouth and bouncing away. Clover shook her head as she chewed, and swallowed with a chuckle.

She really did love her friends.

Even the crazy ones.

**A/N:** Ta-Da!

Okay, so! Apparently, instead of "Stallionfriend" it's "Coltfriend" for Boyfriend? But, then, why use "Mare" instead of "Filly"? Weird…

Also, friendly reminder, that this is NOT Fluttershy/Clover. They've just got a bromance. (Bronymance?)

**VOCAB/EXPLANATIONS**

**Orse** – Made up constellation based off of the real Constellation Orion. "Orse" as in, Horse without the H.

**Manticore** – Based on the Constellation Taurus.

**Canter & Pull-It** – Based off of the Twins, Castor & Pollux. The Constellation for the Gemini.

**Great Scorpion** – Based off the Scorpio Constellation, Scorpius, and, Yes, I KNOW that Orion and Scorpius are never in the sky together, but I'm playing so nyah!

**WIZARDS HEADCANNON UPDATE**

**History of the Griffons**

The Griffons race is younger than the Ponies, and have always been ruled by a _king_, though there are sometimes "Puppet Kings", which are Griffons who rule only by title, and whose Mate or family are the ones pulling the strings. They are not a Male Dominated Society, but do believe that Male Griffons make better leaders, as Female Griffons are highly jealous and possessive creatures. There has rarely been any times of peace within Griffon Culture, as one of the few carnivorous _and_ fully sentient breeds, they tend to clash with other species, even _without_ their rather antagonistic attitudes. They respect power and battle prowess beyond anything else, but have a deeply-caring nature towards their Mates and Hatchlings.

**Griffon Customs**

The Courting Battle, which happens if a Griffon of Mating Age is complimented on their talons, though it's typically more traditional in the Warrior Faction of the Griffon Society. Non-Warriors will fight, or a Griffon wishing to Court another will leave on a sort of Pilgrimage, and return with an item they gained through battle, the more impressive the more likely to get an approval for the Courtship. (An example of this would be a Griffon coming back with a necklace of Manticore teeth that they fought more than one Manticore to complete.)

Male Griffons become Warriors in one of the factions (Blood-Claws are only one subdivision). They must serve for at least five years. Female Griffons have the option of doing the same, with a mandatory five-year time once they join up.

**Griffon Traditions**

They don't celebrate holidays like ponies do, but instead they have a Day of Celebration on days where they won a great battle, and a Day of Mourning on days they lost. They burn their dead, so that their bodies rise into the sky as embers, and gather the ashes afterwards for family or close friends to release while flying.

**Princess/Princes Headcannon**

The Wiki wasn't clear as to _why_ there are no Queens or Kings in the show, or why Celestia is still considered the "Head Princess" or anything, and I don't really have a Headcannon for this. Maybe Celestia and Luna's parents were the last King and Queen, and the only way for a new one to be named, would be for the _last_ King and Queen to name them that, but Celestia and Luna's parents died before they could name Celestia, who had been trained to take the crown when she was old enough…?

I don't know, but that sounds alright.

**Pony Ages**

**Mint Leaf:** 33

**Zendo:** 39

**Uncle Basil:** 46

**Uncle Parsnip:** 40

**Mrs. Rye:** 62

**Smoky Mark:** 18

**Merry-Go-Round:** 20

**Dixy & Dot:** 23 (Dixy is 3 minutes older)

**Silver Wheat:** 35

**Sudsy:** 21

**Carrie Sweet:** 28

**Any more Headcannons you want to know? Ask away!**

**Q&A**

**Q: (Insert all comments, questions, and concerns about Princess Cadance)?**

A: YES, I know she doesn't become ruler of the Crystal Empire until Season 3. YES. I also realize that the Crystal Empire wasn't uncovered (is that the right term?) for ages, so she COULDN'T be the ruler.

HOWEVER, ALL PRINCESSES MUST ATTEND THE CORONATION OF ANOTHER PRINCESS and what was I supposed to say, hmm?

"I'm Princess Cadance, I'm just staying here until we can find a kingdom for me, la-dee-da~!"?!

So, I am claiming Creative License, and say that she is, basically, the Duke of the Crystal Empire, which was "found" or whatever, about three years before the start of the first season, until she becomes the Ruler of it. There you go.

I'm sorry for those who found my use of Cadance and the Crystal Empire so early displeasing and non-canon, but, really, I can't regret it, as it was important for later ideas that may or may not occur.

**Q: How big is Clover compared to the other Ponies?**

A: Right now she's still pretty young, and she's just a bit shorter than Twilight, who's the youngest of the Mane 6 in my Headcannon.

**Q: Where's Harry Potter?**

A: Harry IS Clover; they are one and the same. Clover remembers everything about Harry's life, however, to live peacefully, she's successfully disassociated herself with him. It's like, watching the memory through a movie, without feeling any of the emotions Harry had felt when living through them.

**Q: How can Zendo help Clover learn her magic, when he's a Zebra?**

A: Meditation and focus. Magic is instinctual, it comes from inside, and while they Unicorns and such must learn the Spells, the magic is always there.

**Q: What's Zefrica like?**

A: Like Africa, with talking animals, and the largest population are Zebras.

**Q: What animals have Cutie Marks?**

A: According to the Wiki, only Ponies and Zebra's (Or, honestly, Ponies and _Zecora_.). No other creature or being has cutie marks in the show or in the Wiki.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Here's the next chapter!

**Q&A** at the bottom!

Thanks for all the Reviews!

Enjoy!

**Fields of Thyme**

_**Chapter Five:**_

_Can't Let Sleeping Dragons Lie_

"Clover!" Silver Wheat called from the other side of the kitchen, just as the Alicorn was handing Dixy and Dot the pot of Night-Night Soup (A new recipe Clover and her mother made in honor of the returned Princess Luna. The soup was a dark blue, and tasted best when chilled slightly.).

"Yeah?" She called back as she turned back to her station.

"Your shy Pegasus is here! She said something that sounded like it was urgent, but I couldn't really tell over all the clatter!" Clover grimaced, but her mother shooed her away and took over her counter.

"Got it, thanks!" Clover called as she flew into the air, gliding over the other ponies so she didn't run into any of them. She ducked through the open doorway and landed in front of the worried form of Fluttershy, absently making sure her apron didn't touch the ground. "What's wrong, Flutter?" She asked her friend with concern taking in how her friends wings were pressed close to her sides nervously.

"Oh, Clover," she said, voice softer than it usually was, denoting her fear. "There's a horrible cloud of smoke and it's heading towards Ponyville, and where there's smoke there's fire, and it's making Angel Bunny cough something awful, but no one will listen to me, but, just, look!" She turned and pointed upward, and Clover followed her hoof, gaping at the massive, ominous black smoke trail that was moving into town from the mountains.

"That's not good," she muttered, eying it. "Not good at all…" Fluttershy bobbed her head with nervous sincerity. "Hold on, let me clock out, and we'll go find Twilight. The Princess has probably sent her a letter already," she reassured her friend, before yanking her apron off over her head.

"_Mrs. Rye!_" She yowled into the kitchen. "Friend emergency! I've gotta clock out early, sorry!" The periwinkle Mare waved her away and Clover tossed her apron on her designated hook, before lifting her little time card, and shoving it into the machine, making it click as a little black hoof-print was stamped on it. Quickly, she dropped her card into her "out" slot, and darted outside, nodding to her friend as the two of them lifted into the air and started flying towards the park, where a bunch of ponies would be spending the day, and where even Twilight wouldn't mind doing her reading outside.

"Excuse me, everypony?" Fluttershy called, her soft voice disappearing in the cacophony of laughter and chatter. Clover grimaced, and sent her friend an apologetic look, before she gave a sharp, high, whistle. The ponies closest yelped as hooves were clamped over ears, and Fluttershy whimpered, even though her hooves had been in place at Clovers signal.

"Now that we have your attention," Clover called out over the crowd of confused ponies. "Fluttershy has brought something important to _my_ attention." With that, she pointed at the massive black smoke, and the ponies began to whisper worriedly. "Now, has anypony seen Twilight?"

"Here, Princess," the Unicorn's voice rang out clearly, and everyone turned towards where Twilight stood on one of the bridges, Spike at her side.

"Has Princess Celestia sent word of what's happening with the smoke?" Clover demanded, as she and Fluttershy flew over to land beside the Unicorn. Twilight nodded, face serious.

"It is _not_ coming from a fire," she declared; Fluttershy sagged with relief next to Clover, as did several other ponies in the crowd. "It's coming from a Dragon." Horrified gasps echoed throughout the park, and Clover grimaced slightly as Fluttershy seemed to curl in on herself, trembling and squeaking in fear.

"All Elements of Harmony will need to meet at the Golden Oak Library for debriefing," Clover announced, voice silencing the crowd. Spotting a familiar rainbow-maned Pegasus in the Crowd, Clover sent her a stern look. "Rainbow Dash, I need you to go get Applejack, since you're the fastest Pegasus here."

"On it!" Rainbow Dash called, kicking the ball she had been bouncing over to some foals, before lunging into the air and darting towards the orchard.

"Me too, me too!" Pinkie squealed bouncing after the athlete. Fluttershy pressed closer to Clover fearfully, while Twilight nodded to the Alicorn.

"I'll go get Rarity," the Unicorn told her seriously; Clover nodded firmly, and the Unicorn left in a quick trot. With that done, Clover turned towards the nervous crowd, and offered a gentle smile.

"I need all of you to remain calm and focused," she told them, immediately gaining their attention. "You have nothing to worry about. Princess Celestia and I have ordered the Elements of Harmony to deal with it, and I shall accompany them as well. Please, remain calm. The smoke will not do much harm, however, if any of you or your foals begin to feel short of breath, or gain a cough, or anything similar, then, _please_ go to the hospital. However, if you do not feel sick in such a way, please continue about your day. Now, Fluttershy and I are needed at the Library, to prepare. I hope the rest of your day is pleasant," she told them, soothingly, as she coaxed Fluttershy into the air. The crowd cheered after them as they flew away, and Clover sighed, rubbing a hoof to her temple.

Princess Celestia had given her lessons on how to capture a crowd's attention, and how to keep them calm in case of an emergency, but it did tend to give her a minor stress-headache. Still, despite the pain behind her temples, she cast a worried glance at her scared friend. She knew about Fluttershy's fear of Adult Dragons (capitalized, at that), but Clover _also_ knew she couldn't risk excusing her friend from the journey, despite it being in her power to do so. The lives of Equestria were on the line, and the Elements of Harmony needed to all be together, in case the Dragon refused to be moved.

The two friends arrived at the Library just as Applejack came running from Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow Dash flying lazily in upside-down barrel rolls above her, and Pinkie bouncing about behind them like a demented Pogo-stick. Clover waited until the two had already entered the tree-turned-library, before she followed with a still faintly-trembling Fluttershy.

"What in the name of all things cinnamon-swirl is a full-grown dragon doin' in Equestria?" Applejack demanded as the group watched Twilight collect and browse her shelves for specific books.

"Sleeping," the Unicorn replied almost absently. The six other ponies all made sounds of confusion and disbelief, staring over at her.

"Could you explain that, please?" Clover asked; Twilight nodded, even as she closed up her saddlebags with an idle glow of magic, turning to meet Clover's eyes.

"According to Princess Celestia, he's taking a nap," she informed them seriously. "His snoring is what's causing all this smoke." Clover wrinkled her nose a bit, and had to blink away the image of Ron from her previous life, only his abhorrent snoring made black smoke fill the air.

…

It actually made some sense, when she pictured it.

"He should really see a doctor," Pinkie declared, looking mildly concerned. "That doesn't sound healthy at all."

"Maybe you should tell him that, when we go to see him," Clover offered; the pink pony beamed and bobbed her head rapidly in agreement.

"Well," Rarity declared. "At least he's not snoring _fire_! But, what are _we_ meant to do about it?!" Clover sighed and landed, sitting down.

"Get him to move somewhere else for his nap, obviously," Clover said calmly. "It's why I had Twilight gather you all anyways, even though my Cousin's letter probably asked for it too." Twilight nodded, so Clover let her explain some more. Before she could, Rainbow Dash spoke up, grinning arrogantly as she did.

"Yeah, give him the boot!" she declared, and then promptly kicked a large, bronze statue of a Guardian Pony's head in full regalia. "Like that!" Twilight caught it before it could fall, moving it with her magic as the cyan Pegasus continued to try and show off her moves, until an overzealous lunge sent the athlete flying into a shelf, knocking over a few of the books as she lay there, sprawled upside down and pouting at Twilight.

"No, Rainbow," the Unicorn said sternly. "We need to _encourage_ him to take a nap somewhere else," she said, frowning down at the other Mare. "Princess Celestia, and now Princess Clover, have given us this mission, and we _must_ not fail." Rainbow stood up again, and promptly saluted, getting a small snort of amusement from Clover. "If we do, Equestria will be covered in smoke for the next one hundred years!" Clover glanced at Fluttershy as she gasped, horrified, and nodded sympathetically to her friend.

"Talk about getting your _beauty sleep_," Rarity declared with a delicate sniff.

"Alright, everypony," Twilight ordered as she lifted her saddlebags onto her back with a bit of magic. "I need you to gather supplies quickly. We've got a long journey ahead of us. Let's meet back here in less than an hour." They all nodded, and left the Unicorn to examining the map they would follow. Clover nudged Fluttershy gently, and watched her friend fly towards her home, before the Alicorn lifted up and flew towards her own. She reached it quickly, but paused to hover when she saw that her father and baby brother were outside. She landed and watched, for a moment, as Zendo taught Zeb how to throw and buck a ball, much like the one Rainbow Dash had used earlier.

"Nice shot!" Clover cheered, when her little brother bucked the ball into the designated 'goal' Zendo had set up. The two males turned to her, grinning and grass-strained, with a bit of mud splattered on Zeb's muzzle.

"Sistah!" He cheered, running forward and slamming into her foreleg, wrapping his hooves around it and sitting on her hoof, grinning happily. Clover chuckled and walked toward their father, limping along with Zeb wrapped about her foreleg like a monkey.

"You be leaving on business wit' yah friends now, yes?" Zendo asked, looking up at the ominous smoke high above them pointedly. Clover nodded, and Zendo pressed their muzzles together, nuzzling Clover lovingly. "Stay safe, Sweet One," he murmured, and kissed her temple, smiling when she kissed his cheek in response.

"Always, Papa," she replied, and then grinned as Zendo began tickling Zeb until he fell off her leg, rolling and squealing with laughter. Chuckling, the Alicorn moved inside and gathered her saddlebags, packing up a First Aid Kit, some rope and sturdy tape, and a large thermos of hot soup, in case the chill got to be too much. Checking herself over, Clover nodded and turned to leave.

"Sistah!" Zeb cried, running towards her. She stopped and smiled down at him, and he held up a small stuffed, patch-work bunny, his expression as serious as a little colt could make it. "Take Mistah Flop wit' you," he told her sternly. "He be keepin' you safe fah me." Touched, Clover carefully took the well-loved bunny from her brother, and tucked him gently into her saddlebags, before hugging Zeb tightly.

"Ah'll see you latah tonight, or early tomorrow morning, okay?" she whispered in his ear, letting her father's accent through.

"Ah'll be holdin' you to dat, sistah," Zeb said in his most serious voice, even though he looked ready to cry. They smiled, and touched muzzles, before Clover let him go and hugged her father. After Zendo wished her luck, Clover lifted into the air, and flew swiftly towards the Library. The others were already there, though Fluttershy had apparently _just_ gotten there. The pale gold Pegasus was immediately at Clovers side, and the Alicorn offered her a reassuring smile. Twilight walked in front of them, and they all obligingly lined up.

"Alright, Mares, listen up," the Unicorn announced seriously. "I'm mapping out the fastest route, but we've all got to keep a good pace if we expect to make it up the mountain by nightfall." Fluttershy huddled down next to Clover, her cast her a sympathetic glance as she meekly whispered the word 'mountain'. _Poor Fluttershy_, Clover thought with a small sigh. _First an Adult Dragon, and then a mountain. Her fear of being roasted and her fear of heights in one trip…_

"The Dragon," Twilight continued, drawing Clover's attention back to her. "Is in that cave at the very top." The Unicorn pointed towards the tall, thin, and rather ominous peak in question, black smoke billowing out around its tip, blocking it from view.

"Looks pretty cold up there," Applejack announced with a frown, eyeing the mountain. Rainbow Dash smirked.

"You bet it is," the athlete declared with a sharply smug attitude. "The higher you go, the chillier it gets!" Clover rolled her eyes a bit at the constantly challenging Mare, but was glad she'd brought the thermos full of hot soup in her bags.

"Good thing I brought my scarf," Rarity declared airily, before opening her bag and pulling out a long, fancy scarf, striped in light and dark pinks, that had Pinkie cooing.

"Pretty," the pink pony purred as the pretty Unicorn primly wrapped the fancy scarf around her neck and immediately struck a pose. Rainbow Dash snorted in amused disbelief.

"Oh yeah," she said sarcastically. "_That'll_ keep you cozy." Clover rolled her eyes as the cyan Pegasus and the fashionista Unicorn bantered about the scarf, and watched as Fluttershy scuttled over to the distracted Twilight, probably trying to get herself excused from the mission. Clover grimaced, hoping she wouldn't have to step in and do something… Watching Fluttershy cringe down and give a clear squeak of fear as Twilight walked away, Clover knew that the Unicorn had probably waved away the pale gold Pegasus' fears. And while Clover didn't approve of the method, she knew that Fluttershy was needed. Rainbow Dash flew over and stage-whispered to Twilight, and Clover felt her eyes narrow.

"Are you _sure_ you want Fluttershy to come along? I mean, that pony's afraid of her own _shadow_…"

"That happens," Clover growled, making the cyan Pegasus flinch guiltily. "When a pony is bullied nearly every day as a foal." Twilight winced, and the two ponies glanced at the cautiously crouching Fluttershy, who was, thankfully, out of hearing distance.

"But she's just going to slow us down," Rainbow Dash hissed in complaint; Twilight shook her head with a small smile.

"Oh, she's just a little nervous," Twilight decided. "Once we get going, I'm sure she'll be fine!" Clover gave the Unicorn a grateful smile for the confidence in her friend, but couldn't help but cough embarrassedly when Fluttershy chose that moment to prove Rainbow right, squealing in fright at her own shadow and lunging into a bush with wide, scared blue eyes. Clover shook her head and trotted over to pull her gently out, spending the next few minutes pulling twigs and leaves from her friend's long, pretty mane.

"Alright Mares!" Twilight called. "Move out!" As the lavender Unicorn quickly galloped from the town, followed by the rest of the Elements, the five of them scooped Fluttershy up and ran with her, making her give a long, frightened squeal. Clover quickly flew after them and scooped her friend off of their backs, flying along with her until the frightened Pegasus could unstick her wings to fly as well.

"Don't worry, Flutter," Clover soothed as they followed the galloping Mares. She took her friend's hoof, and smiled gently. "I'll be beside you the whole way." Fluttershy offered a horribly shaky smile as the group got closer to the base of the mountain, and even that disappeared into a terrified squeak as the dragon's menacing snoring shook the very _air_ around them.

"What was that?" Rainbow Dash asked, gaping up at the far-away point of the mountain.

"_That _was the sound of a dragon snoring," Twilight informed the Pegasus as Clover and Fluttershy landed.

"It's so…so!" Fluttershy hid behind Applejack, pupils huge with fear. _"High_," she squeaked, terrified. Rainbow Dash snorted.

"Well it _is_ a _mountain_," the athlete said, sending Fluttershy a slightly irritated look, before quickly turning. "I'm gonna fly up there and check it out!" Before she could move more than a foot higher, however, Applejack had lunged forward and grabbed the over-eager Mare's rainbow tail in her teeth, yanking her back.

"Hold on now," the Farm Pony declared as Rainbow Dash reluctantly landed. "Ah think was should all go up together." Everyone nodded in agreement to the suggestion. "Safety in numbers'n all…" Rainbow Dash agreed reluctantly, crossing her forelegs and sulking moodily. Clover rolled her eyes and ignored her. The cyan Pegasus continued to sulk as she hovered next to the group when they finally started climbing the steep incline of the mountains base. Clover wasn't with them, however, because Fluttershy was still curled up on the ground, staring up at the daunting mountain with terrified eyes.

"You okay, Flutter?" the Alicorn asked softly; Fluttershy shook her head rapidly and covered her eyes with her hooves, whimpering.

"Why a _mountain_?" She whimpered as she crawled behind a bush. "Why a _dragon_?" Clover could only shake her head.

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash's voice called; Clover looked up at the group, who were a good thirty feet up the steep cliff already. "What are you waiting for, an invitation?!" Pink promptly offered one, in an explosion of confetti and streamers, beaming at the deadpan look Rarity and Rainbow Dash sent her.

"But it's so… So!" Fluttershy stuttered, before gulping and ducking down behind her bush until only her eyes showed. "_Steep!_" She squeaked; Rainbow Dash snorted in derision.

"Well it _is_ a _cliff_," she scoffed. "You could just, oh, I dunno, _fly up here_?!" She snapped impatiently; Fluttershy whimpered and huddled down a bit more.

"Come on, Fluttershy, you can do it!" Pinkie cried, beaming and flapping her leg up and down next to Rarity's head. "Flap those wings!" Clover smiled at the hesitant pale gold Pegasus.

"I'll be right beside you, Flutter," she soothed, and Fluttershy timidly stepped into the open.

"O-okay," she whispered, and closed her eyes tightly before rapidly flapping her wings. She rose, Clover hovering right next to her, until she was even with the others on the cliff-face. She opened her eyes, offering a hesitant smile…

Until the next roaring snore of the dragon had her freezing, her wings snapping shut against her flanks in terror. Clover lunged forward and grabbed the petrified Pegasus before she could fall, looking at her friend worriedly as she felt the older pony trembling, her ears pinned down and her eyes huge. Quickly, Clover lowered them to the ground, where Fluttershy tried to force her wings to un-freeze.

"Oh, Flutter," Clover said unhappily. "Are you okay?" Fluttershy sniffled and nodded her head, ducking down a bit in shame.

"'M s…ry…" she mumbled, and Clover sighed before hugging her and giving her a kiss to the temple.

"It's okay, Flutter," she soothed with a soft smile. "As long as you're not hurt." Applejack slid down next to them, just as another horrendous roar scared Fluttershy into fainting, body stiff as a new corpse. Clover called her friend's name, and gently shook her, before casting a desperate look at Applejack, who shook her head.

"Don't worry, Twi," the Farm Pony called up to the others. "We'll be there lickety-split!" Clover doubted that, but nodded to the Earth Pony all the same as the others continued onward. "We best get our hooves movin', if we wanna catch up to them before night," Applejack told Clover, who nodded, before her horn glowed and gently began levitating Fluttershy.

The trip around and up the mountain took three hours, during which time Fluttershy woke and fainted again seven different times, Clover stepped on a sharp rock and had to bandage up her hoof once Applejack had pulled it out, and they had to rest several times due to the new injury and Clover needing to rest her magic. For the last ten minutes of the trek, Clover limped heavily along as Applejack pulled the unconscious Fluttershy the last bit, the two conscious Mares streaked with dirt and sweat. They rounded the last corner to find that they had _finally_ reached the others.

"We (huff, huff) made (grunt) it," Applejack gasped, collapsing on the ground, Fluttershy's long tail tied around her head so she could drag the Pegasus much easier. Clover limped forward and collapsed next to her, sitting with her injured hoof slightly off the ground and an exhausted smile.

"Ta da?" she offered, and slid carefully down to rest.

"Clover, are you okay?" Twilight asked with concern, violet eyes worried. "Your hoof!" Clover lifted her right foreleg to examine the bandaged hoof, grimacing at the dirtied bandages that were slowly getting wet with more blood.

"I stepped on a sharp rock," she told the Unicorn, grudgingly sitting up so her friend could look it over herself. "It's fine, Twilight. I'll just fly the rest of the way, and rest a bit ahead of you all if I get too tired, okay? I'm fine," she reassured.

"Well," the lavender Unicorn said hesitantly. "If you're _sure_…" Clover nodded, and the six conscious ponies discussed what they needed to do next, until Fluttershy woke once again.

"Okay, Mares," Twilight called. "Let's get moving!" The seven of them immediately began walking up the mountain path towards the cave, Fluttershy huddling just behind Clover as the Alicorn hovered along. After about twenty minutes, they reached a crevice, which wasn't very wide at all, but still proved a problem for Fluttershy.

"C'mon, Flutter," Clover coaxed affectionately. "You can just jump right over," she wheedled.

"I-I dunno," the Pegasus whispered, cowering after yet another dragon-snore.

"There's nothing to be afraid of!" Pinkie cheered, bouncing nibbling across the crevice with a smile. "It's just a hop, skip, and a jump!" She proceeded to do so once more, before she wriggled comically in front of Clover and Fluttershy. "See?" And, taking a deep breath, the pink Earth Pony began to sing… _When __**doesn't**__ she find a reason? _Clover thought with a grin.

"_It's not very far~_

_Just move you're little rump!_

_You can make it if you try~_

_With a Hop, Skip, and Jump!"_

Clover giggled as Twilight muttered something about not having time for this with an exasperated sigh. Pinkie Pie continued to bounce nimbly back and forth and repeating the lyrics, making them into a rapid-fire chant, and Clover marveled at how much the pink pony seemed as comfortable as a mountain goat in that moment. She finished with one last flourish, and Fluttershy stood up with a fortifying breath.

"O-okay," the Pegasus said, and cautiously approached the ledge. "Here I go…" She took another steadying breath, and cautiously copied Pinkie's earlier motions. "A hop… a skip…" Acting on instinct, Clover darted over and covered both Twilight's and Rainbow Dash's mouths, as the pale gold Pegasus jumped, relieved when the muffled 'don't look down' issued unheard from the lavender Unicorn's muzzle. Fluttershy landed daintily, and looked positively thrilled with herself.

"Great job, Flutter," Clover declared, releasing the two Mares from her hold to glide over to her friend.

"Why did she cover _my_ mouth?" Rainbow Dash complained to Applejack, who rolled her pretty green eyes with a small smirk.

"'Cause it's so big, she thought Fluttershy might have flown right in," the Earth Pony teased, earning a playful growl from the cyan Pegasus. Rolling her eyes, Twilight got them all on track once more, and the group continued upward and onward. Time passed in silence, though Clover had to stop and rest several different times, and changed her bandages with Rarity's help at a group-resting place.

"Let's keep it down," Twilight stage-whispered, Clover immediately covered Fluttershy's ears as the dragon roared again, and thankfully her hooves blocked out the rest of the Unicorn's sentence. "According to my map, we're entering an avalanche zone. The smallest _peep_ can cause a _huge_ rock slide!" Clover breathed a soft sigh of relief before uncovering her friend's ears, gaining a small, grateful smile. _Now I just have to make sure no one mentions anything about avalanches to her, and we're home free!_ The Alicorn thought, and then immediately set her eyes on Rainbow Dash, watching the cyan Pegasus cautiously.

"What does an avalanche sound like?" Pinkie suddenly asked in a loud whisper, and was immediately hushed by everypony but Clover and Fluttershy. Fluttershy had frozen in absolute terror, and Clover had promptly smacked a hoof to her face.

"An… Ava…_Ava-_!" Fluttershy whimpered, and Clover gave her a tired smile.

"Shh," she whispered softly. "It'll be okay…" Fluttershy gulped and huddled closer to the ground. Clover floated in front of her friend with slumped shoulders and a bowed head. There was a soft rustle, and Clover glanced back just in time to see a leaf land on the unsuspecting Fluttershy's back. The result was immediate: the pale gold Pegasus shot up and screamed.

"_AVALAN-!_" Applejack shoved a hoof in the Pegasus' mouth desperately, and they all froze, trembling, listening to the high-pitched echoes of the Mare's cry in tense silence. After a few moments of nothing happening, they let out a collective sigh…

Just in time for an ominous rumbling to start all around them. Small pebbles began to fall, and Clover gulped fearfully, her mouth going dry, as more of them tumbled down, faster and harder.

"_AVALANCHE!_" all seven ponies screamed, as boulders took the pebbles place, and began to hurtle towards them. Clover dove out of the way of a boulder, and began to dodge them as well as she could, wishing her hoof wasn't hurt so badly, so that she could move her friends out of dangers way. Minutes passed, with the thunderous rumbling of the rocks at war with the rushing roar of blood in her ears, as Clover just tried to stay alive. Finally, all was still, and she hovered anxiously, muscles so tense they trembled, gasping for breath.

"Everypony alright?" Applejack called, and there was a general murmur of agreement, Twilight thanking the Earth Pony for saving her flank.

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy said, shamefaced, and Clover slowly lowered down to sit beside her, still gasping, and vaguely listening to Rainbow Dash scold Rarity about her misplaced fashion woes.

"Aw, no whoop, Sugarcube," Applejack assured Fluttershy kindly.

"Yeah!" Twilight said with a soft smile, turning to look at the massive pile of dirt and rubble that now sat between them and the rest of their path. "We'll just have to…!" She gave a tired sigh, ears pinning back as she woefully examined the pile. "Climb over." Clover, still twitching and trembling, eyes a bit wider than they should be, slowly glided after her friends as they proceeded to do just that.

As they were making their slow way down the opposite side, Fluttershy let out a startled squeak and slipped, sliding quickly down the dirt, taking first Rarity, and then Applejack with her, until the three Mares landed in a heap at the bottom, with Fluttershy on top.

"My apologies!" Rarity declared as Rainbow Dash grabbed her hoof to try and pull her out. The athlete stopped and glared at Fluttershy.

"Not _your_ fault," she told Rarity, and Fluttershy curled in on herself.

"That's enough, Rainbow Dash," Clover snapped, irritated, tired, and her hoof pulsating with pain. The cyan Pegasus snorted and glared at _her_, before flying over to Twilight as the group started moving once more.

"Still think it was a good idea to bring _Fluttershy_ along?" She muttered snidely; Clover gritted her teeth and hissed at the Pegasus, getting a slightly startled glance from Rarity, but a sympathetic one from Pinkie that was hidden underneath a beaming smile.

"We're about to find out," Twilight announced nervously, and the group gasped as a whole as they found themselves at the mouth of a massive, ominous cave.

"We're here," she said simply; Clover carefully landed, promptly sitting down and cradling her injured hoof close, unhappily examining the blood that had once again seeped through the bandage.

"I think I hit a vein," she muttered worriedly, and winced as Rarity neatly unbound the hoof with a flare of her horn. The Unicorn used a bit of random cloth she had, to wipe the hoof and peer at the wound.

"Oh dear," she murmured, and gave Clover a worried glance. "You truly did do some damage to yourself, my dear," she murmured, before using some ointment from Clover's First-Aid kit and reapplying yet another bandaged, using twice as much this time, despite the rapidly dwindling bandage supply. Once that was done, they all lined up in front of the cave, with Twilight walking before them like a drill sergeant in the army.

"Alright," she murmured, before turning and whispering clearly. "Rainbow Dash, you'll use your wings to clear the smoke." The cyan Pegasus hummed in agreement, and shot into the thick, putrid black smoke barely six feet above them. The Unicorn continued. "Rarity and Pinkie Pie? You'll create a diversion to distract the dragon if things get a little hairy in there…" Clover bit back a hysterical giggle as Pinkie began to immediately swing a rubber chicken around, like a dog with a chew toy. Twilight shook her head and continued on.

"Princess, due to your injury, I need you to remain out here and be ready to help where you can," Twilight whispered; Clover inclined her head with a wry smile, and tenderly waved her injured hoof in a vague salute. "Applejack, you're ready with the apples in case he decides to attack." The Earth Pony flung two such apples in the air and bucked them with enough force that they turning into mushy puddles against the tree that they hit. Twilight nodded with approval.

"But it shouldn't come to that," she announced, stalking once more before them, pacing in the shadow of the cave opening. "Because Fluttershy will do what she needs to do to wake him up," she declared; Fluttershy huddled down fearfully. "And between the two of us, we _should_ be able to get him to understand why he needs to go. Is everypony ready?" They all gave affirmative noises or nods, with the exception of Fluttershy, who was cowering on the ground and gave a disbelieving leer.

"Okay then," Twilight declared confidently. "We're goin' in!" She promptly disappeared into the cave, and Clover blinked, before looking down at Fluttershy, who was still cowering next to her.

"Um…" she started, glancing back at the cave.

"Oh, come _on!_" Rainbow Dash complained, and Fluttershy whimpered before promptly burying her face in the dirt. Seconds later, Twilight stomped back out and went over to Fluttershy.

"Come on! We don't have to do this!" She cried, and tried to push Fluttershy, quickly joined by Rainbow Dash. "Now! Every second longer that dragon," Rarity joined in the pushing, "is another," Applejack joined them too, "acre of Equestria that is covered in," Pinkie slammed into the group, all of which had managed to push Fluttershy exactly one inch from her previous position. "Smoke!"

"I…. I!" Fluttershy started, eyes huge a wet, as the others perked up, watching her. "I _can't_ go in the cave." The immediately got frustrated cries as the others flung themselves away, incensed.

"Oh _great_," Rainbow Dash complained. "She's scared of _caves_ now, too." She crossed her forelegs and glared, frustrated; Clover glared back at her as she hobbled over to sit next to her friend.

"I'm _not_ scared of caves," Fluttershy corrected softly. "I'm scared of dr…g…ns…" she trailed off into undecipherable mutters.

"What's that, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked gently.

"I'm _scared_ of drag…s…" she repeated, mumble a little better, but still undecipherable to the others. Clover sighed, and spoke up.

"Fluttershy is terrified of Adult Dragons," she stated plainly. "She's been so, well, _off_ this whole trip because she didn't even want to come, and no one would listen to her long enough to find out _why_," here, the Alicorn sent a pointed glare at Rainbow Dash, before facing the others. "If the circumstances had been normal, I would have allowed her to remain in Ponyville, under the guise of watching the town in case something bad happened. However, it is my duty as a Princess to put the people of Equestria as a whole before the singular members. Even my best friends, so I _couldn't_ let her stay home." Clover slumped, her normally pinned ears pressing even tighter against her neck as she bowed her head guiltily. "I'm sorry, Flutter."

"It's okay, Clover," Fluttershy whispered gently. "I know you tried your hardest." Suddenly, there was another horrendous roar, and a massive billow of black, acrid smoke exploded from the cave, making Fluttershy squeal, frightened, while the other ponies all coughed heavily. When it cleared, only a hint of Fluttershy could be seen from where she had chosen to hide behind Applejack. Twilight lunged over to her.

"But, Fluttershy!" The Unicorn said, a little desperately. "You have a _wonderful_ talent, dealing with all _kinds_ of animals!" Fluttershy hunched up.

"Yes," she replied, with just a hint of annoyance. "Because they're _not __**dragons**_." Rainbow Dash huffed.

"Oh _come on_!" she cried. "We've seen you walk right up to a horrible Manticore like it was nothing!"

"Not a dragon," Clover replied, and Fluttershy nodded rapidly, pointed a hoof at the Alicorn pointedly.

"Spike is a dragon," Pinkie chimed in, smiling sweetly. "You're not scared of _him_!" Clover sent the pink pony a smile and got a gentle wink.

"_Yes_," Fluttershy offered uncomfortably. "Because he's not a _huge_, gigantic, terrible, _enormous_, teeth-gnashing, _sharp-scale-having_, horn-wearing, smoke-snoring, _could-eat-a-pony-in-one-bite_, totally-_all-grown-up **DRAGON**!_" Another roar emphasized her point, and they spent another few minutes coughing through the resulting smoke-cloud. Fluttershy was sprawled on the ground, hooves digging into the dirt, whimpering.

"But," Twilight started, confused and desperate. "If you're so afraid of dragons, _why_ didn't you say _something_, before we came all the way up here?!" Clover frowned.

"I told you," she said, stepping over and settling a wing over her cowering friend. "No one would listen to her! You all just _assumed_ she was being the way she was because she was afraid of _everything_." She sent a sharp glare at Rainbow Dash, who was _finally_ starting to look guilty for her rude actions the entire trip. "Not _one_ of you bothered to ask how she felt about this 'adventure'." The others, Pinkie Pie included, winced a bit and looked at each other unhappily.

"Alright," Applejack said suddenly, moving over and gently pushing Fluttershy to her hooves. "_All_ of us are scared of _that_ dragon," she reassured the shy Pegasus.

"I'm not!" Rainbow Dash declared smugly; Clover sent her a bland look.

"Then you're never going to be able to join the Wonderbolts, because you'll rush right in and get yourself killed," she told the Pegasus bluntly, dropping tact to pound the point home into the athlete, watching her pause in her flying to stare at the Alicorn with wide eyes. Applejack cleared her throat.

"Well, _most _of us are scared of that dragon," she corrected. "But, we've got a _job_ to do, Sugarcube," she pointed out gently, before smiling. "So, git in there with Twilight, and show her what yer made of!" Fluttershy glanced at the cave and trembled.

"I…. I!" The pony started, looking at the expectant faces of her friends, before glancing at Clover , who smiled gently, already accepting of whatever her choice may be. "I just!" Fluttershy's wings slumped down, and her eyes locked on Clover's, ashamed. "I just _can't_." Clover nodded gently, even as the others gave disappointed sighs. Fluttershy turned and slipped away, to hide behind a large boulder nearby and think.

"Oh, Fluttershy," Twilight whispered sadly, while Rainbow Dash scowled at what she probably perceived as some sort of betrayal.

"Leave her alone, Rainbow Dash," Clover ordered, voice sharp. "You've been rude and a down-right bully to her this entire trip because she's not as _reckless_ as you, you have no right to judge her. Also, you've been flying over all the same obstacles she and the others faced this whole trip, so you have no right to make fun of _any of them_ for any fear they had." She frowned sternly up at the wide-eyed, guilty athlete, who crossed her forelegs and hunched up, trying to look tough with her eyes unhappily casting regretful glances towards the boulder.

"Enough," Twilight said firmly, tiredly. "The plan is still on. I'll see you guys soon…" The Unicorn turned and walked into the cave. "_Hopefully_," echoed back at them in a soft whisper, and they waited, huddling together, just out of sight of the cave opening, in tense silence. Ten minutes later, Twilight ran out, coughing horribly, followed by a massive cloud of black smoke, that was far from accidental.

"So much for (cough, gag) _persuading_ him!" Rainbow snapped irritably.

"Now what?" Applejack asked, eyes wide.

"Hem-hem?" Rarity said, immediately giving Clover flashbacks to _Umbridge_, her eye twitching. "This situation, _obviously_ calls for some… _pony charm_." The fashion expert tossed her mane lightly and sashayed into the cave with all the confidence she could manage. "Leave this to me, Mares." The Unicorn disappeared into the depths of the cave…

Only to run out barely five minutes later, immediately hiding behind a rock. After a few seconds, however, she sat up and seemed to be having a proper sulk.

"I was _this close_ to getting that diamond," she pouted, holding her hooves barely two inches apart.

"You mean, _getting rid of that dragon_?" Twilight asked, eyes narrowed.

"Oh, er… Yeah… Sure," Rarity replied, looking away and coughing a bit into her hoof. "That's _obviously_ what I meant." Pinkie broke the tension by blowing through a party trumpet, making a loud noise and gaining everypony's attention.

"_What_ in tarnation?" Applejack asked for all of them, and Clover blinked rapidly at her friend, who was wearing what had to be one of the most _ridiculous_ and _bizarre_ outfits the Alicorn had ever _seen_.

"Darling, you look _ridiculous_!" Rarity informed Pinkie, who grinned happily.

"Exactly!" She exclaimed, beaming. "Sharing a laugh is a sure-fire way of getting somepony on your side!" She waddled into the cave, and they heard her loud, cheerful "_Hi!_" Before there was a horrible crunching, _bang_ sound, and she staggered back out, outfit ruined. "Apparently he doesn't like laughing… Or sharing."

"Alright, that's it!" Rainbow Dash shouted, irritated. "We've tried persuasion, charm… And whatever it is Pinkie Pie does! It's time to stop wasting _time_! I'm going in!" Clover's eyes widened and her horn flared, catching the cyan Mare before she could do more than fly a few feet towards the cave entrance. "Hey!" Rainbow Dash shouted; Clover frowned sternly at her, and purposefully set her next to Applejack, where the Earth Pony immediately stepped on the other Mare's rainbow tail, effectively pinning her in place.

"You're too rash," Clover told the Pegasus sternly, and wasn't _that_ the pot calling the kettle black, considering who she used to be and all the trouble she'd gotten into as Harry? "Now, it's my turn." She stood, and straightened her spine, head up and eyes focused, even as she lifted into the air and carefully glided into the cave. She found the dragon and his nest of gold in minutes, and carefully settled in front of his glowering, red form. The dragon was huge, easily twice the size the Hungarian Horntail had been in Harry's fourth year, and _this_ dragon had dark, ruby-toned scales, and massive, deadly-sharp spines that looked like they were made out of spell-sharpened rose quartz. His underbelly was the color of molten gold, and he had large, topaz-colored eyes, which were glaring down at Clover. The Alicorn cleared her throat and bobbed her head lowly in greeting.

"Greetings, Great Dragon," she called, voice firm and clear. "My name is Princess Clover Breeze, and I am a member of the delegation sent to-"

"Princess?" The Dragon interrupted, voice low and throaty, much like the rock-slide the ponies had been a part of, and a strange, echoing was within it, that had nothing to do with the cave. He'd sat up, topaz eyes much more interested now.

"Er, yes," she replied, blinking. "I am a Princess… Though, I'm still really young, compared to all the other ones we have…" Her eyes were wide, startled, as he leaned very, very close, and her ears pinned tightly to her neck as he turned his massive head, placing one of his large, pretty eyes right in front of her.

"…I have never met a Princess, before," he informed her, the eye narrowing thoughtfully. Abruptly, he sat up, and the sound of gold coins scattering over stone made Clover wince as he nodded firmly to himself. "I am pleased with this gift."

"Er, gift?" she asked, and then could only yelp as the dragon's huge, four-fingered hands curled around her, lifting her neatly and depositing her in a deep hole he promptly dug into his nest of gold. Clover looked up, _way, way up_, from her little gold-lined pit, and could only watch, disbelieving, as the dragon carefully curled his tail around the upper edges, settling his head on the red-and-rose colored coils, so he could comfortable peer in at her.

"You make a fine treasure, little Princess," he rumbled, before giving a massive yawn.

"Th-thank you?" she asked, utterly bewildered as she sat in the depths, watched by a great, half-closed eye. She tried to flare her magic, maybe send a message to the others, but, whether the gold surrounding her or the dragon itself was doing it, something was preventing her from using her magic at all.

"Prairie Shit," she cursed, and sat more firmly at the bottom of the pit. The dragon chuckled; a plume of black smoke wafting from his nose, and Clover carefully crossed her forelegs, wings fluttering in agitation. "You know, I can't stay here," she told the dragon sternly. "I have duties as a Princess, and I have a family that will miss me, and-" The dragon yawned, tilting his head purposefully, so that the resulting smoke filled her pit, making her cough horribly, cringing against the nearly-unbearable heat. The smoke stayed long enough for her to slump down, wheezing weakly as she tried to breath properly, and the dragon settled his head again.

"Be quiet, Little Princess," he rumbled, closing his eyes. "I wish to sleep." Clover gulped down the cool, smoke-free air, releasing a little cough every once in a while, and tiredly slumped in the gold.

"… Jerk," she muttered hoarsely, and settled her head on her uninjured leg, sweat streaking across her body from the remnants of the heat. There was a sudden breeze as the dragon lifted his head to glare at something, before Rainbow Dash's voice echoed through the cavern.

"_GET. OUT!_" the Athlete bellowed, before Clover gaped as the cyan Mare ruthlessly bucked the dragon right on his sensitive nose. The dragon blinked, face curling, before he let out a harsh sneeze. Eyes narrowing in rage, he sat up, his large form towering over everything, and Clover could hear Rainbow Dash gulp fearfully.

"Heh…. Sorry," she said meekly; the dragon roared, a horrible sound that had Clover smacking her hooves over her ears, and sent Rainbow Dash slamming out of the cave. Incensed, the dragon rose and stormed out of the cave, and Clover weakly fluttered into the air, gliding feebly after him, coughing once in awhile, still affected from breathing in so much smoke. She exited the cave in time to watch another, horrendous, smoke-spewing roar, and how the force of it sent the five other ponies smashing into the boulder Fluttershy was hiding behind, shattering it and exposing the shy Pegasus, who peered over at them with huge, horrified eyes. Clover tried to distract the dragon, but all it got her was one of his massive hands curling about her and keeping her trapped, unable to see or hear what was going on.

Exhausted, her hoof and chest hurting, Clover curled against his palm, and laid her head down, wheezing lightly with every breath. _Smoke inhalation sucks crab-apples_, she thought bitterly, but then could only wearily lift her head when the hand surrounding her reluctantly opened, to find Fluttershy and the dragon peering down at her. Fluttershy frowned in concern as Clover coughed, and sent a stern look at the dragon, who immediately pinned his ears and spines down, whining lowly in his throat.

"You know better," the Pegasus scolded severely. "Other creatures get sick when they breathe in your smoke! And you made her breath it in, just so she wouldn't try to leave? Princesses _aren't_ pets, shame on you!" The dragon shrank under her hard, blue stare.

"But-!"

"Don't you 'but' me, mister!" Fluttershy interrupted. "She is a living, breathing, _real_ pony, and, even if she _was_ a pet, you do not blow your smoke on non-dragons like that! She could get really, _really_ sick!" The dragon curled in on himself under her scolding. "And that's just another reason you shouldn't be sleeping here, where your smoke is a health-hazard for all the creatures of Equestria! What do you have to say for yourself?!" The dragon whimpered, eyes huge and shame-faced. After a few seconds of silence, Fluttershy spoke again, voice sharper than before. "I _said_, _what_ do you have to say for yourself?!" Immediately, the dragon whimpered, before bursting into tears, mouth open wide as he loudly sobbed, making Clover wince as she fluttered weakly into the air. The Alicorn quickly joined Fluttershy in gently stroking his nose, and Clover even took it upon herself to put her largest Band-Aid on the spot Rainbow Dash had kicked, and kissed it gently as Fluttershy soothed the dragon.

"No need to cry," the Pegasus said kindly. "You're not a _bad_ dragon, you just made some bad decisions." Clover nodded, and coughed hoarsely into her uninjured hoof as the dragon sniffled. "Now, go pack your things," the pale-gold Pegasus ordered gently, but firmly. "You just need to find a new place to sleep, that's all." Clover smiled at the dragon one last time, before wearily following her friend to the ground, where she slumped down amongst the cheering ponies, and closed her eyes tiredly.

"Never again," she whispered hoarsely, not bothering to listen to all the praise the others, Rainbow Dash included, were heaping on the shyly-smiling Pegasus. She watched as the dragon soon reappeared, a massive bag bulging with gold in his claws, and flew away, still gently sniffling.

"What happened in there, anyways?" Rainbow Dash finally asked, poking Clover with a hoof. Clover sent her a weak glare.

"Dragons, apparently, want their own pet Princess." The cyan Mare stared at her for a few seconds, before her lips twitched. "Don't even," Clover growled, eyes narrowing. That, unfortunately, was what set the athlete off, and soon, all of them were laughing, except Clover, who huffed irritably at them and laid her head back down.

None of her friends saw her lips twitching, however, and she would keep it that way.

**A/N:** Ta-Da!

Sorry for the wait, my Muses demanded decent details, haha! -_-'

ALSO, before anyone yells at me, I DO **NOT** HATE RAINBOW DASH!

THIS IS NOT A RAINBOW DASH BASH-FIC!

It's been my belief, however, that Rainbow Dash is both rather tactless, and firmly in the stereotypical "Jock" mindset, both of which get steadily better as the show went on, AND especially after THIS episode.

So, no, I am _not_ bashing Rainbow, but friendships have their ups and downs, and I'm trying to portray that, okay?

Okay.

ANYways, leave a review!

**WIZARD'S SOMBRA HEADCANNONS**

Okay, so, according to the Wiki, when are Sombra cursed the Crystal Empire, he disappeared with it, and returned with it. HOWEVER, here, Sombra, much like Voldemort, will be taking a few years to "regain his lost power" before he attacks like he did in Canon. Therefore, the Princesses are all aware that he's still out there (with the exception of Clover, at the moment) and, much like Dumbledore, are waiting and watching for his return, and carefully preparing their "champion" (in this case, Twilight, as she's the next most promising Alicorn according to Celestia) for that time.

There you go, that's my Headcannon.

**WIZARD'S PONY HEADCANNON UPDATE**

Equestria's views on sexuality

I believe that Equestria is Pansexual, which means that it's _love_ that matters, not _gender_. This makes sense to me, because there is no great "Settle down, have a family" deal going on, and the rude/cruel/biased ponies are the _exception_ not the _norm_ of Equestria. And you _can't_ tell me there are no orphaned foals around so same-sex couples couldn't adopt or anything like that, because that's just ridiculous. Unlike the human race, Equestria is based off of _peace, love, and harmony_.

Love is the greatest gift in Equestria, and so, who you love doesn't matter.

_**Any more Headcannon questions?**_

_**Send me a review!**_

**Q&A**

**Q: Why is your non-story section (the Q&A and Headcannons and stuff) so long?**

A: Because I believe that everyone has the right to question a story, and fine that answering those question has the benefit of making an Author look at their story and think "Well now, why _is_ that there?" and it helps them develop more depth into their fic.

Also, I make sure to use Word Count on the story section, so the Non-Story is NEVER longer than the actual Story.

**Q: Are you going to make any pairings for the Mane Six?**

A: Maybe? If so, then the likelihood of them being paired with OC's rises, just so you know (Shrugs)

**Q: Is Clover going to go on any adventures of her own?**

A: Yes, mostly because of her duty as a Princess. Any more would be spoilers, srry not srry.

**Q: Why didn't the CMC say anything about Clover being a "Blank Flank"?**

A: Because they weren't the CMC yet, and they're three little girls who were meeting a "Real Life Princess" for the first time, and that took precedence, lolz.

**Q: Is Clover going to get her own bodyguard, since she's a really young Princess and all?**

A: I honestly never even thought of that… So, I'll leave it up to y'all.

**Should Clover Have a Bodyguard?**

Yes or No

AND

**If Clover Gets A Body Guard, What Kind Of Pony Should They Be?**

Unicorn, Earth Pony, or Pegasus?

I'll decide the gender if this happens, but I'll be happy for everyone's input! ^-^

**Special thanks to the reviewers _CervantesOsis_, _WriterPON3_, and every other Reviewer who sent me information on the My Little Pony world, based off of _my_ questions!**

And thanks to all my usual Reviewers, stay classy!


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Here's the next chapter!

**Q&A** at the bottom!

Thanks for all the Reviews!

Enjoy!

**CRITICAL UPDATE!**

**AS OF NOVEMBER 5****TH****, 2013**

**ALL UPDATES WILL BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN**

**THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT, AS OF THAT DATE**

**I WILL BE ENTERING THE JOB CORPS PROGRAM**

**AND BEGIN TRAINING TO EARN MY CNA, AND THEN, IMMEDIATELY AFTER, MY LPN**

**AFTER THAT, I WILL, HOPEFULLY, BE ENTERING COLLEGE IN ORDER TO GAIN MY RN**

**I APPOLOGIZE IF THIS INCONVIENENCES ANYONE, BUT THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT AND OPPURTUNITY TO WASTE**

**I LOVE YOU ALL**

**STAY CLASSY**

**Fields of Thyme**

_**Chapter Six:**_

_Friendship's Disappointments _

Clover stretched herself out, flaring her wings wide as she tilted her face up towards the sun, smiling. It was a beautiful day, warm with a soft breeze, the smell of flowers in the air. The birds sang and she could clearly hear Zeb's laughter inside the house as Zendo was giving him his bath, her father's deep chuckles soon joining the sweet giggles and the sound of splashing, before that deep voice began to sing in a different language. Clover closed her eyes as she listened to the Zefrica bath-time nursery rhyme, smiling nostalgically as she hummed along.

***:**

_The water cleans away, away,_

_The dirt gained from play, play,_

_And leaves behind, I say, say,_

_A coat to put jewels to shame!_

_When the washing is done, done,_

_It's once again time to run, run,_

_For little foals to have fun, fun!_

_And play their merry games!_

Giving a soft laugh to join her father's and brother's, the Alicorn shook her head, before trotting over to the window.

"Papa, I'm going to go see Fluttershy and the others, okay?" she called through the open window, gaining an affirmative reply, still in her father's native tongue, before she had to dodge a splatter of soapy water as Zeb squealed with happy giggles. Shaking her head, Clover rose into the air and glided happily towards the town, humming happily. She arrived in time to hover bemusedly, watching ponies cautiously creep out of their homes, as if something horrible had frightened them. Shaking her head a bit, she spotted Smoky Mark nudging his little sister, Speckle Tune (a small, golden colored Earth filly with orange freckles over her flanks and the bridge of her muzzle, gray eyes, and dark purple mane done up in a braid and tied with a music-note-shaped clip).

"Hey, Smoky!" She called, gently landing, and feeling suddenly uncertain and a little paranoid, as Smoky seemed to immediately flush, and wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Erm, hi, Clover," he muttered, hunching up a little as Speckle Tune waved, before she sped away to play with some of her friends. The ensuing silence between the two quickly became awkward and uncomfortable. Clover frowned as Smoky began trying to slide farther away without looking like he was, face still averted, ears pinned back.

"So, erm, I guess I'll just be going, then…"

"Hold it," Clover said sternly, making Smoky freeze with a wince, hunching up any more. "What's wrong with you? What happened?" Smoky looked horribly uncomfortable, glancing up at her through his darker green fringe.

"Aw, Prairie shit, Clover," he said unhappily, making Clover sit down in sudden concern. She'd only ever heard the Earth Pony Stallion curse one time before, and that was when she had cornered him and he'd had to tell her about Wind Stream asking her mother out on a date despite her being a married Mare. It was Smoky's default way to express exactly how much he didn't want to be in the position, and it never failed to make Clover feel horribly guilty for asking.

"Has something happened?" she asked softly; he sighed and sat down, looking miserable.

"Aw, Clover," he said again, sighing. "No pony wanted you to find out, especially not since you became a actual Princess." He let out a low, unhappy sigh, and ran a hoof through his short, bright-green mane. He grimaced and looked at her again. "Well, better it comes from a friend than a stranger," he muttered, and seemed to take a fortifying breath, looking horribly resigned. "Once a month, a strange pony comes out of the Everfree Forest. At first, everypony was just scared of her, because she looked so funny, and she spoke so strangely, and she frightened everyone with her strangeness." Dread coiled darkly in Clover stomach, and she wished, fervently, that whatever he was talking about wouldn't end horribly for her. "It wasn't until everypony met you and your father and brother, that we all realized she was a Zebra, and not just a weirdo who painted on her stripes." Clover felt the dread in her stomach gain weight, like a heavy stony beneath her heart. "But, even though we all know you and your Da, no pony knows Zecora as anything but the scary Zebra Mare who speaks so strangely, and she's not like you and your family, with your dark strikes and that cool accent your Da and brother mostly have, and you get sometimes. She's got 'ghost stripes', as the foals have started calling them, and she talks with weird rhymes and riddles that never make sense, and always wears a dark cloak when she's in town. It didn't help that she lives in the Everfree Forest, which is so weird and unnatural, with it's weather that happens without Pegasi and its self-reliant animals and plants." He sighed again, and unhappily ruffled his mane with his hoof, looking away.

"…And, well, everypony likes you and your family, Clover, and no pony wanted you to know about Zecora. Some are afraid she'll curse you, or corrupt you, or something, but most just didn't want you to know how afraid they were of a Zebra, considering your family and all…" Clover nodded, mind blank, before a heavy, sinking feeling settled in her chest with that horrible ball of dread.

"Does _every_ pony feel that way about Zecora?" she asked softly; Smoky hunched forward again, and gave a miserable nod, not meeting her eyes.

"The only pony who probably isn't is Twilight Sparkle, but that's because she didn't know about Zecora, until today. I'm sorry, Clover." Smoky hesitantly got up, and looked like he wanted to pat her shoulder, but instead he just shook his head and slunk away, and Clover sat there, staring at the ground with blank eyes.

_Every Pony_ was afraid of this Zebra.

_Fluttershy_ was afraid of a Zebra.

_Fluttershy_, her _best friend_, who she spent the night with at _least_ three times a month, who had helped foal-sit her _brother_, was afraid of a Zebra.

_All_ of her friends were afraid.

But…

How could they be? She didn't understand! _She_ was half-Zebra, and they'd all met her family, how could they _still_ be afraid?!

Shaking her head sharply, she flung herself into the air and flew up high, blinking back a few tears as she quickly re-focused her breathing. Flying towards the Everfree Forest, she peered downward, and soon spotted her friends, and the strange Zebra Smoky had been talking about. The Zebra's pale gray stripes and the unique speech pattern Smoky had mentioned, told Clover that this Zecora was a member of one of the Northern Tribes of Zefrica, on the opposite side of the continent as Clover's family, who were from one of the Southern Tribes. Now, Clover spotted the specific Tribe symbols that denoted _which_ of the Northern Tribes she was a member of, namely the huge, heavy hoop-earrings at the base of her ears.

The Leaf-Streak Tribe, whose home was in a forest much like the Everfree Forest, but hotter and more humid, and with more dangers.

That particular Tribe, thankfully, had no issues with the Star-Sing Tribe that Clover's family hailed from, though their herb-lore was said to be the best, only diminished by the quirky riddles and rhymes they spoke in. Zendo's Tribe was known for being the best of the "sky readers", or travelers, Tribes, because of their almost magical ability to read the stars. There was another Tribe, to the far west in Zefrica, named the Cloud-Whisper Tribe, who read the daytime's sky with equal precision, but they never left their territory, so less was known about them.

But Clover knew enough about the Leaf-Streak Tribe, to know that she wouldn't have to worry about being attacked by the Zebra, so she glided down.

"-what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have put on you!" Applejack was scolding her little sister, and Clover felt her eyes narrow.

"Just like in my song!" Pinkie cried, and began to sing some _ridiculous_ little ditty about Zecora being an Evil Enchantress or something.

"You guys, there's no such thing a curses!" Twilight cried in exasperation, Clover nodded, even as she landed just outside of the group's sight, avoiding the weird blue plant that gave her weird vibes.

"Well, _that's _interesting to hear from Miss Magic Pants herself!" Rainbow declared; Clover rolled her eyes, and Twilight answered with an impressive amount of patience.

"My magic, _real_ magic, comes from within. It's a skill you're born with. Curses are artificial, fake magic. It's conjured with potions and incantations; all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power, they're just an old pony tale."

"Just you wait, Twilight," Applejack warned. "You're gonna learn that some pony tales really are true." Clover felt her lips thin.

"Oh, yes," she said, making them all yelp and cry out, spinning around to face her as she glared. "Because, you know, _all_ Zebra's curse ponies. It's a _given_." Her friend's eyes were wide.

"Wait, Clover-" Applejack tried; Clover shook her head sharply.

"No," she said sternly, but quietly, glaring at her friends firmly. "I don't want to hear it. You'll have to figure this one out on your own, but, until you do, _don't_ talk to me." The sharp sting of betrayal curled in her gut, like a nasty little thorn that was stuck under her skin. "Shame on you." She whispered, before turning and gliding deeper into the forest, ignoring the calls of her friends behind her, as she slipped through the tree's after the Zebra who she had just witnessed her _friends_ being mean to. _Just because_ they didn't understand Zecora's culture, and, well, even here, in this universe, the ponies were much like the humans of Harry's previous world.

_Fear what you don't understand, and seek to destroy it because of that fear_.

And Clover wouldn't let that happen. She _knew_ what it was like, to be discriminated against, though she had been Harry then, she still _knew_. Spotting the Zebra, Clover made sure to make some noise, before calling out in a strange, musical language, making the Zebra still, before she quickly turned, her hood falling back as Clover landed in front of her. Zecora was smiling.

"Many, many day's it been, since last that tongue I've seen," she said; Clover smiled sweetly, before the two lowered their heads in welcoming bows, their right hooves lifting to press flat against each other.

"Den it be mah pleasah to be de one to speak it wit' you," Clover replied.

"Come, come, young one!" Zecora urged, looking so happy to have someone who could speak at least a version of her Mother Tongue. "Come with me, and have some tea! Tell Zecora about your family!" Clover giggled softly and trotted along beside the older Zebra, and easily told her about her family, mostly of her father and little brother, but also about her mothers soup. Zecora smiled indulgently the whole way to her house, which was a rather intimidating appearing hut settled within the base of an old, gnarled tree. Decorations curled and hung about it, trinkets denoting her Tribe and spirit, as well as the traditional Greeting Masks, the ones that said "Hello" and "Welcome", meant to put visitors at ease, so that they knew they were protected by the Rules of Hospitality, unless they broke those Rules themselves.

"Come, come!" Zecora said again, practically bubbling as she held the door open for Clover. The inside of her home was round, and done in soothing, natural greens, the color of moss and algae and a young sapling.

"Your home is beautiful, Zecora," she complimented, settling at a small, round table when Zecora shooed her towards it, smiling as the older Zebra happily began to pull herbs from the shelves.

"Much thanks to you, for saying my home is nice to view," Zecora replied with a sweet smile, her many neck-and-foreleg rings jingling pleasantly as she worked with a mortar-and-pestle to grind the herbs she wanted. "This tea that I make, will make your tongue wake! It's filled with herbs whose flavors mesh, which are always the best to use, yes?" Clover nodded, smiling, thoroughly amused by the traditional speech patterns of the Leaf-Streak Tribe. "Tell me, little Star Gazer, have you seen anything in the stars that speaks of the future?" Zecora asked, dark turquoise eyes curious as she set the kettle to boiling, joining Clover at the table to wait. Clover hummed and closed her eyes, thinking over the stars she had watched the previous night with her father. How bright the tip of Orse's arrow was, how dark the Manticore's eyes. How the Great Scorpion had seemed to flicker anxiously, and how Alicorna, the Star Princess, seemed closer to Hoofcules the Great Hero, the two of them brighter, eyes towards one another. How envious Lassopeia was as she faced the two.

The young Alicorn frowned quietly.

"Something is on the horizon," she finally replied, musingly. "Good or bad, I don't know, I can't Read them as clearly as some. There is a wedding or romance, a jealous enemy, a battle or warning, and hesitation on the behalf of someone who cares a great deal…" She shook her head, her mane flapping a bit, frowning. "But, that's all I can get…" Zecora nodded seriously, and gently set a cup of steaming tea in front of the young Princess, making her blink before smiling. "Thank you," the Zebra waved it away and they sat in silence, enjoying their tea, before Zecora finished her cup and peered seriously into the leaves.

"The bagpipes warn of hostilities, where the barrel speaks of festivities," the Zebra informed the Alicorn calmly. "A boar claims obstacles to overcome; but behind it sets the bouquet of great happiness to come." Clover nodded, mentally translating.

Bagpipes: a warning of coming sorrow or much agitation and disturbance.

Barrel: festivity.

Boar: Energy and push, though not always in the right direction to bring you unqualified success, or a sign of obstacles in your path.

And, finally, the Bouquet: one of the luckiest symbols. Staunch friends, success, a happy marriage, coming happiness, love, fulfilled hope, and a wedding.

Trouble will come at some festivity, most probably a wedding, but it will be overcome with the help of good friends, and happiness for the married couple.

"That's good, at least," Clover murmured, finishing her tea, only to blink when Zecora scooped it up and peered into it's depths. She said nothing, though, only nodded and smiled, before dumping out the leaves. "Are you going to tell me what my future holds?" Clover asked; Zecora only smiled.

"Worry not, little Clover," she replied, smiling. "The good will come when the bad is over." Clover sighed; she hated when ponies got cryptic about her future. Her father did the same, even though he could only read paths that may-or-may-not come before her.

"Oh, fine," she muttered, pouting. "Be that way." Zecora let out a delighted laugh, shaking her head, before the two of them companionably settled in, chatting about Zecora's homeland and different potions and soups the two had made. Zecora was putting away the now-empty teakettle, before glancing out her window and frowning a bit.

"Many hours have come and gone," she said suddenly. "You must be getting home before too long." Clover glanced outside, and realized that she _had_ been with the older Zebra for several hours, and the sun was beginning to sink. She winced and stood, Zecora walking her to the door.

"I had a lot of fun, Zecora," she informed the older Mare, smiling. "We should do this again sometime." Zecora smiled and nodded.

"If my company once more you seek, perhaps we can meet again next week?" Clover nodded, and the two parted ways. When she got home, she happily told her father all about Zecora and how her friends had treated the Zebra, and the conversations that she had shared with the older Mare.

"It is always hahd to stand up fah what you believe is right, Clovah," Zendo told her gently. "Be it against enemies or friends, it is hahd. Always ask yahself 'is dis de _right_ way, or de _easy_ way?' And just go from dere."

"I know, Papa," she replied lowly, ears pinned down as she sadly stirred her soup, not very hungry. "It's just, I can't _believe_ that even _Fluttershy_ is afraid of Zecora!" She flailed her hooves a bit for emphasis, before slumping down again with a sigh. "It's just… I don't understand this sort of thing," she muttered; Zendo set down his spoon and walked around the table to pull the Alicorn into a hug, kissed her temple.

"It will wahk out for de best, Clovah," he soothed softly as she hugged him back. "You will see."

"I hope you're right, Papa," she muttered softly. "I really hope you're right." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and the two pressed muzzles, before Clover slipped upstairs to her room, staring out the window at the stars. She closed her eyes tightly, before opening them as wide as she could, her mind latching onto the stars and curling around meanings and thoughts and emotions. An hour passed as she Read the Stars, unblinking, unmoving, before she blinked and released a shuddering breath, closing her eyes and smiling softly with relief.

Everything would work out, though there would be trouble before it did.

With that in mind, she went to bed, pulling her favorite, hoof-knit blanket close, a deep green thing with little yellow three-leaf clovers all over it, with the occasional four-leaf clover appearing if you looked carefully. Her Mimi Zenna had made it, with the help of her Grandma Mint Sprig, for her seventh birthday, the year before Zeb was born, and she had adored the blanket since.

Cuddling under the soft creation, Clover glanced once more out her window, and smiled at the stars, before closing her eyes to sleep.

"Goodnight, Marwolaeth," she muttered sleepily.

"_Sleep well, Dearest,"_ the Power whisper/hissed back with the sound of rattling bones and the dying's last sigh, the air chilling slightly, making Clover nuzzle deeper under her blanket. She slipped into sleep, and dreamed of tea the color of the night sky, and of stars that became the tea leaves, which were in the shape of her friends as they ran and played at the bottom of her cup, soon rising up and beckoning her to join them, and they spent the night running around the sky.

She spent the next day at home, not wanting to risk running into her friends when her interference might tip the scale and change the path the Stars said they would come tom. Instead, she settled in and started teaching Zeb his letters, the ABC's song making a prominent appearance throughout the day, often getting an amused chuckle from Zendo as the two chased each other around, singing it at the top of their lungs, or playing patty-cake to the beat. Clover loved her little brother, and was happy for the excuse to spend extra time with him, the two of them cuddling up for a nap together around noon.

She woke to the chiming that meant somepony was at the door, and, yawning, disentangled herself from Zeb, carefully covering him back up and nudging his stuffed rabbit close, smiling as he cuddled into it, chewing on it's ear, before she turned and left the room to answer the door.

Fluttershy was sitting there, looking uncertain and shamefaced, and, before Clover could say anything, the Pegasus had launched into the whole tale of what had happened that day, of the Poison Joke plant and the "curse" and the Applebloom Stew and _everything_, in a continuous, remarkable way that would have had Hermione impressed.

"And we're really, _really_ sorry that we upset you," Fluttershy was finishing up. "And I am _really, __**really**_ sorry that I was so silly and didn't even think that my actions and attitude might hurt you, and I never want to hurt you because you're my best friend, and, just! …I'm sorry," she finished miserably; Clover sat down, blinking at her for a minute, overwhelmed by the sheer… _Babble_.

"… I forgive you," she finally said, and Fluttershy slumped in relief, offering a teary smile. "Want to come in? Zeb and I were just taking a nap, but it's about time we got up anyways." She smiled, and pulled her friend in by the hoof. Fluttershy spent the night that night, and stayed up with Clover and Zendo to learn about the stars.

And Clover was happy that she had her friend back, just as the Stars had read.

**A/N:** Sorry for the relatively short chapter, I'm busy packing and fiddling about (Sheepish look) And the 25th was my 20th birthday, so I took a few days off to enjoy it. ^-^

See you guys around!

Stay Classy!

***: I own this song and made it up**

**CONSTELLATIONS:**

**_Alicorna & Hoofcules:_** Andromeda & Hercules, which are constellations on a list of stars that mean Romance/Valentines/Weddings/Anniversaries on (starlistings . co . uk) without the added spaces. Used in reference to the Royal Wedding here.

**_Lassopeia:_** Based off of the Constellation, Cassiopeia, The Queen (Symbolizing Chrysalis.)

**Q&A**

**Q: How advanced is Equestria, Technology-wise?**

A: I have no idea. They have ovens and things like that, but they also have magic, which removes things we use every day because we don't have magic. Also, they use carts and things, but have a train, but… Yeah, I don't know. It's kinda like a slightly-more-advanced Wizarding World…?

IDEK.

NEXT QUESTION!

**Q: Why was Rarity so focused on getting a diamond?**

A: Because she really wants diamonds. It's, like, her biggest weakness in the MLP show, that I've seen so far, and that I've read in the Wiki.

YES, she has OCD and is kinda germaphobic, but, according to the Wiki, ALL unicorns are like that in a way. Her's is just worse than normal (Shrugs)

But, yeah. She likes the sparklies, and wants them.

**Q: If Clover gets to have her own adventures, does she get her own nemesis? Like, and evil Necromancer or a Foul Spirit from beyond or what have you?**

A: I'm rather fond of this idea, but I haven't, honestly, thought that far ahead, so any suggestions for her Nemesis would be great.

**Q: Is Clover going to have to deal with any stigma over essentially being a Death Goddess?**

A: Yes, because, as stated in this chapter, humans (and ponies) Fear what they don't understand, and try to destroy what they're afraid of. It won't get THAT bad, of course, but, much like Harry's second year with Parseltongue, Death Magic is considered Taboo. She'll get respect from warriors and warrior races, and for her power, but people/ponies will usually be AT LEAST uneasy around her due to her power source (Those who don't personally know her, that is)

**To the Reviewer, **_**Stormwhite**_**, who pointed out that I was spelling 'cannon' instead of 'canon', I thank you!**

Also, maybe I wanna shoot my headcannon's, MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

**To the Reviewers who offered advice and/or information, thank you!**

**To the Reviewers who voted on the Guard Or No Guard question last chapter:**

Here are the results so far!

**YES:** 10

**NO:** 1

_If Reviewers could state WHY they think she should/shouldn't get one, it would be much appreciated!_

**To the Reviewers who voted on the What Type Of Pony Should The Guard Be question last chapter:**

Here are the results so far, with some surprising extras!

**Unicorn:** 5

**Pegasus:** 5

**Earth:** 4

**Flash Sentry:** 1 (Lol, I loved that review, so enthusiastic XD)

**One Guard:** 8

**Two Guards:** 2

**Three Guards:** 1

**One Guard When In Ponyville, Contingent of Guards When At The Castle:** 1 (I rather like this one)

**Clover Gets An Experienced Bodyguard:** 1

**Clover's Bodyguard Helps Out In The Soup & Rye Kitchen:** 1

Please Note that I counted the "Number of Guards" mostly on the reviews that just had the "yes, and Type of pony" answers, and those that suggested this-or-that were counted as one Guard, but on the two types as well.

So, those who said "Pegasus OR unicorn" or something like it, got a vote for ONE GUARD, but got BOTH types of pony a vote.

Thanks, guys! The voting will remain up for a while, because I want you guys to be involved with this story, so, thanks!

**Stay Classy, Reviwers!**


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